Inner Demons
by FeralStalker
Summary: Sayomi is a Shadow demon. Her mission is to locate her future king before time runs out. On top of her new assignment, she must learn to properly master her powers or risk fading away into the Void. Story follows along with the manga. Hiei/OC
1. Chapter 1

"You summoned me, my lord?" A hooded figure kneeled before her master, waiting patiently for instruction. She had been meditating with the monks when she was summoned to his chamber. All she knew was the matter was urgent and she would need to travel far. She wondered why he would send _her_ rather than one of the monks. Compared to them, her fighting strength was nearly non-existent. What kind of mission would require her abilities, or lack thereof?

She listened to her master's low chuckle at her expense. "Since when have you been so formal?" His deep voice echoed around the nearly empty room. His chamber was a simple rounded room made of stone. The only furniture was the throne where her King was seated.

"Since when am I summoned for a mission of such importance?" She smirked. While she could play the role of a loyal servant, she was far from obedient. She would often skip on training to pursue other interests that were deemed _too dangerous_ for her. She raised her head to see her lord with an amused smirk of his own.

Despite his waist-length white hair and lack of physical wrinkles, he was easily over a thousand years old. However, his body looked too thin for the firm muscles that displayed many centuries of discipline and hard work. Scars covered his skin like medals of Honor to intimidate anyone stupid enough to challenge him. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed his stomach looked thinner since the last time she visited.

"As you are aware," he spoke, still smiling. "My time is drawing to an end. I have maybe a few more years left. Until that time comes, I need you to pay your debt."

The girl tilted her head to the side, her expression hidden beneath her cowl. "And what debt would that be?"

"For allowing you to live under my protection. As you may recall, you are not from here. When you wandered into my territory, I chose to spare you if you served me and owed me one favor. You have served well these past years, but now it's time for you to own up to that favor."

The girl sighed. _I knew this would happen sooner or later, but why_ now? _And just what is this favor anyway?_ "So, what's this favor? I've been wondering for years and you were careful to give me no hints." _Stubborn old man…_

He chuckled again. "What? Is the suspense killing you?"

"Not as much as it's killing you, I'm sure. You could drop dead before you even get to tell me." She knew better of course, but it was always fun to tease him for his age. He was a like a grumpy old man sometimes.

"Tell me, how strong have you become since your arrival?" He asked her.

The girl raised her eyebrow at his question. _He can tell for himself, can't he?_ "Well, I'm sure you know just by looking at me, but I wouldn't put me and strong in the same category."

"No. I suppose not." He smirked, giving no implication to his thoughts.

The girl glared at him, then at the ground for a moment before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She held it in for a few seconds before exhaling slowly. Her annoyance subsided to a tolerable level. "Every time I bring up physical combat, I get a lecture about it being too dangerous. I guess I can heal pretty well thanks to them, but what's the point when there's nothing to heal? Once you're gone, I'll be on my own and I won't be able to defend myself, let alone survive." She briefly recalled the monks who trained her and her expression darkened. "They always give me this look like I'm about to kill someone every time I bring it up." A low chuckle drew her attention back to the old man.

"I suppose you can't blame them. You will be going to Human World to find the heir to my throne. Enough time has passed that he will be like any other human with barely any traces of demon-hood." His smirk grew and he leaned closer, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret for her ears only. "If you can find him, I want you to monitor his growth until you deem him ready to come back here and take over my throne. Anything else you choose to do is up to you."

The girl gasped quietly from under her cowl. _Is he trying to imply…_ "Yes, my lord. May I inquire what it is I should be looking for in your heir? What traits might he possess to help single him out from all the others?"

"Well, I don't know." She could hear the amusement in his tone. He was doing this on purpose. "It's been hundreds of years by now. I suppose a good start would be to keep an eye open for anyone with unusual fighting prowess. In fact, I'd imagine he might even enjoy a good fight." His tone became hopeful and expectant. He was looking forward to the meeting.

The girl nodded and asked, "Is there anything else I need to know? Will there be anyone to act as an escort during my mission or am I going alone?"

"This will be a solo mission. Anyone I send with you would probably draw too much attention in these more modern times." The ruler leaned back into his throne, relaxing now that the important topic had passed.

"How will I know when he's ready?" The girl persisted. She might as well try to get as much information as she could before she left.

"You'll know." He rested his chin on the back of his right hand, his arm propped on the armrest of the throne. "When he's ready, he will bear the markings of his ancestors and his power will be unmistakable."

The girl nodded and stood up to leave. "Very well. You can consider your favor paid and then I'll be free to wander as I please. Try not to starve before I return." With a short bow of her head, she turned to leave. She took no more than two steps before she heard him speak up from behind her and she didn't bother to turn back around.

"One more thing. If he's anything like me, he might be a bit stubborn."

The girl chuckled. _Isn't_ that _an understatement?_ "If he's anything like you, I will certainly have my hands full with him." With a final wave over her shoulder, she made her way out of his chamber and down to the training grounds outside.

When she stepped outside, she could feel the warm dirt between her toes. She enjoyed walking without shoes. It kept her feet strong and improved their grip. It also minimized sound and increased maneuverability. The cowl was low enough to shield her eyes from the sun and any would-be stares from the monks.

She ignored the whispers as she made her way to the head monk who acted as her teacher. He and a couple others were the only people, besides the King himself, who she could stand to be around. They were the ones who pushed her to meditate and practice the healing arts, but they also wouldn't let her learn to fight. That didn't stop her from sneaking her own secret lessons from a safe distance when she could.

She found the head monk at one of the shops in the market. The girl didn't like to travel with more than she could carry on her person, and her cargo pants were already filled with her bare essentials. _Perhaps it's just food for the day. After this, I'm practically on my own already. I'll only have to come back one more time._

When she approached the monk, he was just getting his change from the merchant. Sayomi tried to ignore it, but she could feel the merchant's eyes glaring down at her. The head monk ignored the merchant altogether when he acknowledged the girl. "I take it things went well."

She smirked. He knew exactly how the meeting went. He was the one who told her to go to his chamber in the first place. "About as well as you could expect a mission from the King to go."

The monk smiled and made his way down the street. While most of the monks had become accustomed enough to ignore her, there were still a few who regarded her with fear or contempt. The girl focused on her breathing during the walk, listening to what her teacher had to say before she left. She didn't know how long she would be gone. From the looks of their starving master, she didn't have too much time.

"So a trip to the Human World. I suppose he feels it's about time." The monk kept his tone light. It was a truth everyone had time to get used to. What had become a worry was the danger of the other two Kings. Without a strong leader, the balance of power would shift and chaos would ensue.

The girl nodded. She knew the risks. She had been told when she had arrived to the territory to begin with. "He says his heir is in the Human World. Apparently he's not strong enough yet, so I have to make sure he becomes strong enough in time to bring him back."

The monk nodded. It was good news for their people. That was, if she was able to find him at all. As the pair made their way from the busy streets to the edge of town, the two snacked on some fruit the monk had bought. "Was there anything else he told you about your mission," he asked.

The girl finished her fruit and shook her head once. "Not really. Since he hasn't been to the Human World in centuries, he has no idea what to look out for except a good fighter."

The monk frowned at her. "I'm well aware of your intentions to pursue combat, but you need to understand the consequences."

The girl glared at the ground from her hood. The dirt floors of the town gave way to patches of green grass as they approached the bordering forest. While the monk couldn't see her eyes, she knew he could see her tense shoulders. She took slow breaths before she spoke. "I understand."

"I'm sure you do. Not well enough as you should, but at least you understand the potential. Which is why…" The monk reached into the folds of his robe and pulled out a parcel of folded cloth. "I think you should take this. You can think of it as a parting gift if you truly intend to leave once your assignment is over."

The girl took the package and unwrapped the fabric. She found herself holding a _kusarigama_. The black sickle was small and light enough to carry in one hand. When she popped open the base of the grip, a black chain spilled from the hidden chamber with the attached end acting as a blunt weight. She put the chain away and closed the hidden compartment. Then she placed the weapon behind the small of her back, tucking it under her clothing.

"To my understanding, there shouldn't be any strong demons in the Human World, but there are still some who manage to slip through the barrier. This is the least we can do to ensure your safety until your return. I know it isn't much, but it's all we can afford to risk." The monk's tone was serious. The girl wasn't taught to fight with her energy, but perhaps a weapon was all she needed to protect herself without causing more serious harm.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it." The girl couldn't say anything else. It was the only gift anyone had ever given her.

The two demons were in a small clearing when they decided they had gone far enough. The monk looked down at his pupil and gestured to the east. "If you keep down this path, you will walk through a portal to Human World. It was the best we were able to manage and it will only hold long enough for you to go through. Once through, I recommend finding a weapons master to teach you how to properly handle your weapon. We'll be waiting for your return."

With a final nod of thanks, the girl started walking in the direction her teacher indicated. It was a peaceful enough walk through the trees. She could hear the weaker, animal-like demons in the trees and shrubs nearby, but even _she_ could handle them. When she looked up through the canopy, she could see the blood-red sky, accented with deep purpling thunderclouds. It was a familiar sky that she associated with home.

 _I wonder what the human sky will look like…_ She let her mind wander as she considered what her teacher and her master had told her. Their knowledge was a bit outdated these days, but even back then they seemed to have better medicines, strong spiritualists, and war. She wondered how times may have changed there in a few hundred years.

Before long, she began to notice the change in the scenery. The trees were still tall, but they seemed to change from the typical demonic plant life she was accustomed to. These trees were greener, and some of them sprouted needles instead of the typical leaves. An unfamiliar scent struck her nose and she decided it wasn't unpleasant. When she looked up to check the sky, she noticed it was a startling blue. The clouds were white and wispy, and the breeze smelt fresh and clean. She found herself smiling as she walked in the shade the forest provided.

Before she let herself become too relaxed in a new territory, she decided to find out where she was and get an idea for the lay of the land. When she found a climbable tree, she climbed as high as she could until she could see over the tree line. It wasn't the highest viewpoint, but it was good enough to give her an idea.

She was on the slope of a mountain, trees covering the mountain side for miles. When she looked to the West, she could see what looked like water, but it was too far away and on the other side of the mountain range. It could take days to get there if she walked. To the South, she could only see more mountains. To the East, she spotted a road. It was at the base of the mountain and a little ways off, but it would be easy to follow once she was on it. To the North, she spotted a temple. It was on the neighboring mountain, quite a ways up, and it looked pretty big even from her position.

She climbed back down and sat down at the base of the tree to consider her options. _I could either go down to the road and see where it leads, or I could visit the temple and see if there is a monk or a priest who would be willing to sort of point me in the right direction. However…_ She scowled as she thought of the potential risks. _…if I went to the temple, and the monk turned out to be a demon slayer, then that may be a bad idea. But there is the road that could possibly lead me to a village. Then again, even if I make it to the village, who's to say it would be the_ right village?

The girl wracked her mind for an answer and decided to meditate. The monks had trained her in meditation. She had struggled with it at first. Her mind tended to wander a lot if she let it, but with enough practice, she was able to silence her thoughts and focus on what needed to be done. Her only issue with meditation, however, was that it wasn't her thoughts alone that plagued her mind.

" _How are today, my host?_ " The voice sounded like hers, but whispered, as if sharing a secret.

The girl opened her mind's eye and saw herself sitting in a black void. Sitting in front of her, mirroring her position, was herself. Her mirror self was darker, more of a shadow of her darker self. Her anger, sadness, and fear all manifested into this dark aspect of herself. She found that she didn't hate this version of herself so much as she feared what it could do.

"I am actually feeling rather good today. I'm almost free to leave his territory." Just because she feared it, didn't mean she showed it visibly. If she gave any indication of her fear, it would know.

" _I see. He wants you to find his heir before he dies._ " Her shadow-self smiled sadly, as if already mourning his death.

The girl kept her smile on her lips. She refused to let these thoughts keep her from feeling as good as she did in a new place. "Exactly. I'm at something of a crossroads at the moment. You mind helping me out? It'll get the job done that much sooner."

The Shade, as the girl liked to call it, glared at her. It was angry that it wasn't able to depress her. The girl tried to ignore the anger. " _And what if I don't_ feel _like it? Why don't you figure it out yourself instead of relying on others to do it for you? No wonder you don't have any friends!_ "

The girl kept her smile in place but she could feel it begin to crack. She closed her eyes and began to breathe, slowly dissolving the anger with every deep exhale. "Technically, you are me. We are one and the same, two halves of a whole."

The Shade slouched, sad that it failed again to sway her. " _Very well…How can I be of assistance?_ "

The girl's smile grew more confident. She had subdued it for the time being. "I'm in need of a second opinion, so to speak. I'm caught between choosing to follow the road at the foot of this mountain, or to hike to the neighboring mountain to visit the temple for more information."

" _Oh? And where does the road lead?_ "

"I'm assuming it leads to the nearest village." The girl watched the Shade carefully. Just because it was her didn't mean it could easily be trusted.

" _And how long do you think it would take to get there?_ "

The girl took a deep breath. This was how her meditations usually went. She would confront her own negative emotions. Once subdued, it would question what she knew, not giving her a straight answer but still guiding her to a reasonable decision. "I am not really sure of that. I've never been to the Human World. If there is a shrine, then surely not too far away."

" _Yet the shrine is within sight._ "

"It could be dangerous. To my knowledge, priests and priestesses exterminate demons."

" _How old is your knowledge?_ "

The girl hesitated. The Shade brought up a good point. Even the monks didn't venture into Human World anymore. "So I should take the risk and visit the shrine…"

" _Look at it this way…_ " The Shade lifted both hands with the palms up, tilting them like a scale. " _On one hand, you could test your measly skills against a human. On the other hand, you get a bed and information. You only die if you mess up the first option._ " It smirked, teasing the girl's confidence.

The girl returned the smirk, accepting its challenge. "Very well. I can handle a human at least."

The girl opened her physical eyes and scanned her surroundings. She knew the shrine wasn't far. At the most it could take about an hour or two. She made her way north, and kept her energy concealed. The grass felt cold and slick with dew and the earth felt damp and a little muddy. She sniffed the air and could smell moisture. It had rained not too long ago. If she couldn't stay at the temple, she would need to find shelter in case of another shower.

When she found the steps to the temple, she almost groaned. Even half way up the mountain, she still had a long climb up. The steps were made of some unfamiliar stone that felt rough and grainy from the wind-blown dirt. The wind felt nice despite the heat from the unfiltered sun. With every step, she could feel her muscles strain in protest. By the time she reached the top, she was out of breath.

At the top of her climb she saw massive doors that were closed shut. To the right of the giant doors was a smaller door. The girl hesitated at the small door. She focused her senses and expanded her awareness throughout the temple. She didn't sense any wards to keep demons out, but she did sense a strong aura somewhere inside the building. With a final will of effort, she pushed open the door and let herself in.

The courtyard was open and clear of any foliage and the temple itself was beautiful. A wooden patio bordered the edge of the building with a sturdy-looking wooden handrail. The walls were a solid off-white and the sliding doors were a classic wood and rice paper. The red roof arched in a classic Shinto style, giving the place a spiritual presence of its own.

When the girl tracked down the energy source, she found herself in front a set of large solid wooden doors. She took a deep breath and steeled herself to lean her weight against the door. When the door creaked, announcing her presence, she physically cringed. _Why did it have to be so_ loud?

The first thing she noticed was a strong scent of incense. It was strong, but not bad. Living with monks practically desensitized her to the aroma. The second thing she noticed was how dark the room was. She could only make out the tiny warm glows from various incense sticks and cones arranged throughout the space. She relaxed her eyes, letting them shift into infrared vision. It allowed her to see a spectrum of colors that grew brighter with heat.

The room became swathed in deep blues and purples, with the occasional yellow and white from the tiny embers. A small human figure sat in the middle of the room. While it had the typical heat signatures of red, orange and yellow, the center was white hot and it glowed so brightly, the girl had to avert her eyes and shift her vision from heat to light.

 _This human is definitely the source of the energy I felt. How is it so powerful, yet so_ condensed? _I just hope he doesn't start a fight…_

"If you're looking for a fight, you should leave now. I won't hesitate to kill in defense." The voice was a little scratchy, but it was definitely an older woman. She seemed very small, even to the girl.

"I'm not looking for a fight, but I _am_ looking for _someone._ " The girl relaxed and any plans for escape evaporated from thought. _At least she's open to diplomacy..._

"I'm the only one around for miles." The old woman sounded annoyed. After she took a drink of something, she asked, "What do you want?"

"I don't really know for sure," the girl admitted. She closed the door and walked just a few feet closer before taking a seat with her legs tucked underneath. She looked down at her hands as she spoke. "All I know is that he could possibly be a very gifted martial artist."

When the girl heard a small clink, like setting a small dish on top of another, she looked up and focused on her hearing. She had practiced sight deprivation as a hobby to improve her stealth. When she heard small, but deliberate, footsteps, she realized the woman was walking towards her. She bowed her head in respect, knowing the old woman would be able to sense her movement. The footsteps stopped several feet away. The girl could feel the old woman's stern gaze glaring down on her. She had sudden flashbacks of training with her teacher.

The girl could hear the rustle of fabric as the woman reached into a pocket. When she heard a soft click, she noticed a small flicker of light illuminated the immediate area. The girl lifted her head and was able to see the woman's physical appearance. Her face sagged into a natural scowl. Her brown eyes drooped in disinterest as she inhaled the small flame into a white stick that rested between her lips. Her faded pink hair fell just past her shoulders in waves. Her red clothing resembled traditional martial arts gi, rather than the monk-like robes she was expecting, and she wore white martial arts pants. A matching red hat rested on top of her head, the kanji for "Master," displayed on the front. The girl coughed when the old woman blew smoke into her face.

"So you came here looking for someone and you don't even know who you're looking for. You're either stupid or someone was trying to get rid of you or have you killed." The old woman spoke her thoughts bluntly without care, despite talking to a demon.

The girl swallowed a growl that threatened to rise from her chest. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, holding it for a four-count before releasing it slowly. Once she felt calm, she opened her eyes and kept her gaze downward. "My king is dying, and he sent me to find this person for him. I'm limited on time."

"Why would he send a weakling like you?" The woman took another drag from the cigarette.

"I was sent _because_ I'm a weakling. They thought I would draw less attention." The girl smirked to herself bitterly.

The old woman chuckled and tapped the ash into the base of one of the incense burners nearby. "Oh please, even with your weak energy you would stick out like a sore thumb. This isn't exactly the feudal era anymore."

"What about _you?_ " The old woman glanced down at the girl, her laughter dying instantly as the girl spoke up to her. "Your clothing may be different, but it's not foreign to me. Do all humans dress the way you do?"

The old woman smirked. "I live out in the mountains for a reason. I'm not your normal everyday human."

"So it would seem…" The girl's eyes shifted to the infrared vision momentarily to see the tiny sun of aura.

"In a month I will be hosting a tournament so I can find a disciple to pass my power to. If you're not malicious, you're welcome to stick around and see if he shows up." The old woman took another drag as she watched the girl.

The hooded girl was stunned for a moment. _Was it really that_ easy?! _I was hoping for positive results, but this is_ more _than I had anticipated. I hope he shows up to this tournament, otherwise I'd waste so much time. Well, it's a step in the right direction at least. How hard could it be?_ She placed her hands in front of her on the floor and bowed her head low. "Thank you very much for your generosity."

The old woman grunted and started walking towards the giant doors. Before the woman opened the door, the girl asked, "Do you mind if I ask for your name?"

The old woman smirked and replied, "It's common courtesy around here to give your own name first before asking for someone else's."

The girl smirked, remembering her first encounter with her king. "My name is Sayomi."

"My name is Genkai. I am the Master at this temple and most of the surrounding land is mine. Feel free to wander as you see fit. I will warn you that there are other demons in those woods much stronger than you. I won't be held responsible if you die."

Sayomi glared at the floor, thinking back to her teachers and what her king had told her. She took a deep breath to prepare herself for potential rejection. "If you don't mind me saying, Master Genkai, you have tremendous aura at your core. I was wondering if you would be willing to train me, even if only until you choose your true disciple."

Genkai turned to face Sayomi, taking her final drag before putting out the rest of the cigarette. "My training isn't for whimps. If I train you, you will be pushed beyond the limits of what you think you can handle. Are you physically and mentally prepared for such methods?"

Sayomi hesitated. The monks had warned her of the dangers that came with power. _Power can corrupt you. If handled irresponsibly, it could lead you to destruction of not just those around you, but of who you are._ The lessons from the monks played in her head as she thought about what she should do. She reached behind her back.

"Perhaps you could train me in weapons then?" Sayomi pulled the sickle from behind her back and presented it for the Master to examine. "I was only trained to heal and meditate because I was told my aura would be dangerous if I lost control. This was the only method of self-defense they have granted me."

Genkai looked bored as she watched the girl's pitiful posture. _She may want it bad enough, but there's something holding her back._ "I'm not exactly fond of using weapons myself besides my own two fists. The most I can do is teach you some basics so you can at least learn to properly manifest and control your aura."

Sayomi shot her head up at the old woman. She slipped her weapon back in place, at the small of her back, and bowed her head again in gratitude. Before she could say anything, the master cut her off.

"Why do you want to learn?" When Sayomi lifted her head and tilted it in confusion, the old woman elaborated. "You're already familiar with healing. Why would you want to learn to use your aura for combat? Is it revenge or to protect something?"

Sayomi closed her eyes. She understood what the master was asking. "I want to overcome my fear." The old woman lifted an eyebrow, urging her to continue. "My aura is dangerous, or so I'm told. I want to overcome my fear of my own power. I just want to be in control."

Genkai turned back to the door and pulled it open, blinding Sayomi with the sudden intrusion of sunlight. "The moment you complain, I'm throwing you out to the forest."

Sayomi kept her head turned away from the light until her vision had time to adjust. She smiled to herself as she followed the master to her first lesson. _I've_ finally _found a willing teacher…_


	2. Chapter 2

"Grr… Stupid woods! What _idiot_ would spend his holiday hiking in the middle of nowhere?"

A young teenage boy hiked up the mountain trail, a note of directions clenched in his left hand, his right hand occupied with a sack slung over his shoulder. He wore his black hair slicked back with gel, his trademark hairstyle. He wore a simple white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his shoulders. His jeans fit his legs a little snug, exposing the shape of his lean legs. His almond brown eyes glared at the surrounding forest in annoyance.

"Hmm… Map says it should be here…" He reached the top of the steps and his eyes almost popped out of his skull, his mouth gaping open in shock. "Whew! I hope _this_ is it!"

He stood at the base of a gate, two big double doors shut tight. A smaller door was just to the right of the giant doors. There was a sign at the entrance with large print: Master Genkai Disciple Selection Trials.

"Trials? Jeez, this ain't the Olympics. There'd better be basic plumbing, that's all." The young boy, Yusuke Urameshi, pushed open one of the big double doors, a loud creak announcing his arrival. Yusuke gaped at the number of people standing in the courtyard. "Man, some crowd! Are they all here for the trials?"

Yusuke scanned the faces of the people as he made his way through the crowd. One man had a strong, angular face. His chin had a clef and his cheek bones sat rather low on his face. Long, wavy blond hair flowed passed his shoulders. Another man was bald, but his head had a large knot on top. Five red dots, in the form of a cross, adorned his forehead. His black beard and mustache dominated his lower face. A third man looked something like a geek or scientist. His hair stuck out wildly, his thin eyebrows angled downward in eagerness. His glasses hid his eyes with hypnotic swirls.

Yusuke grimaced at the strangers surrounding him. _Shee… They're all weirdos. What kind of freak_ is _this Genkai, anyway?_ Yusuke kept his eyes peeled, scanning the crowd for any suspicious activity.

"Huh! Word gets around that Master Genkai is taking on a pupil, and _half the country_ shows up." Yusuke glanced at the two fighters who were talking. Maybe they had useful information?

"They say her techniques are unparalleled."

"The training must be _incredibly intense_."

Yusuke mused over their words. One _pupil? She's gonna have a job narrowing this bunch down. Gawd, what am I_ doing _here? Botan!_ She _sweet-talked me into this!_

 _A few days earlier…_

"My new mission's an _infiltration_? Into _what? Where?_ Heh. Don't tell me I'm going to Hell… Literally." Yusuke sat on his school roof, adorning a green school uniform. His back relaxed against the wall with his hands tucked into his pockets. He sat with his left leg angled up, his right leg resting and crossing under his left.

"Naw, this is a Living World job. Genkai, a friend of King Enma Jr., is taking on a pupil. It's an important matter, and we want you to apply for the position." A young girl sat next to him. Her blue hair was held back in a high ponytail, her bangs parted from the center. Two strands hung free to frame her face. Her eyes were pink and round, reflecting her bubbly personality. Her school uniform was a blue sailor suit with a yellow ascot tied at the collar.

Yusuke turned to the girl, Botan, and asked, "Who's this Genkai dude?"

"She's a woman, and a human. She's one of the top five _Reiki_ masters, according to Koenma. She's made a solitary pursuit of excellence, but she's getting older and she wants to pass on what she's achieved to a new generation."

Botan recalled Koenma in his toddler form. He wore blue traditional Japanese royal robes with a pink trim and sash. A bulbous blue hat rested on his head, embroidered with the Kanji for "Enma," and "Jr" on the trim. He spoke with a childlike voice that held serious authority. His arms were behind his back, his face struggling to appear relaxed.

"A lot of demons would stop at nothing to learn the techniques Genkai has developed. Naturally, demons would like to master these techniques themselves. With them, they could wreak untold havoc. There're legions of evil spirits who behave themselves only out of fear of her exorcism."

"That's the story." Botan finished her summary of Koenma's explanation.

"So I'm to make sure no demon grabs the post of pupil to this Genkai character?" Yusuke now had both his knees propped up. His elbows rested on his knees with his hands dangling in between.

"Yup! A simple matter of prevention." Botan seemed to space out for a split moment, as if recalling something silly. She came back and launched into more details. "Keep a particular eye out for Rando, a demon of battle who specializes in defeating martial arts masters. He's stolen the secrets of 99 martial artists and monks so far, and the buzz is he aims to round that off to a tidy 100 with Master Genkai. Once he steals a technique, he adapts it to his own style and tries it out on humans. No one knows how many reported missing persons are in truth _victims_ of his experiments. We fear the number of victims would at least _double_ if he gains Master Genkai's skills."

Yusuke held his chin in serious thought. "Hmm... That's a _lot_ of people. Not good."

"No, not good at all."

"On the other hand, I wanna enjoy my day off."

Botan nearly fell over in a groan. "You'd actually _compare_ the two?!"

"Hey! I can't be on the job _all_ the time!"

Botan grimaced. Her features shifted to a knowing smugness. "I forgot to mention that you're slated for a _bonus_ if you complete this mission."

Yusuke looked bored as he asked, "Bonus?"

Botan reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out a ticket in triumph. "This! A ringside seat at the Mixed Martial Arts Match in the Tokyo Dome!"

Yusuke jumped up excitedly reaching for the ticket. He stood in a silly heroic pose with his hands against his hips and his chest puffed out. "We must stop that creep for _humanity's sake!_ "

"Right on!" Botan cheered as Yusuke laughed.

 _Present day…_

Suckered, _that's what I was. How'd Botan figure out I was a martial arts fan?_ Yusuke frowned at the memory of Botan's bribe.

 _Oh well… Odds are I won't be chosen, so I'll be able to split soon enough._ Yusuke was weaving through the sea of fighters and psychics when he heard his name.

"Yo! Urameshi!"

"Huh?" Yusuke turned to the source of the voice and gasped in recognition. "Kuwabara?!"

Kuwabara was another young teenager about Yusuke's age. His orange hair was styled into a thuggish pompadour. He had high and prominent cheek bones and beady eyes. He wore a vertically striped button-up shirt with "Motor head" and various band names printed on the front. Matching pants completed his wardrobe. His name was printed across the back at his shoulders. His voice was deep and raspy.

Kuwabara ran up to Yusuke, pointing a finger at him. "What are you doing _here_?"

Yusuke stood still in shock and asked, "What are _you_ doing here?"

Kuwabara became nervous as he answered Yusuke. "My sixth sense is getting out of hand. I keep seeing and hearing things all the time… and my sleep paralysis is getting worse. My sister said I should come here for advice, but this _crowd_ … sheesh."

"Who the hell is this Genkai, anyway?" Yusuke had no idea what to expect, so he had to get answers where he could. He'd never heard of the woman, so how strong could she be?

"You came, and you _don't know?_ " Kuwabara blanched at Yusuke's ignorance and explained. "According to my sister, she's a top-notch master of Reiki. That's the flow of aura that surrounds the human body. If you can control it, you can acquire all kinds of powers like pulverizing rocks by concentrating energy in your fist, or healing the sick and injured with your own life force. Reach Master Genkai's level of skill and you can _blow people away_ without even _touching_ them."

"Order in the courtyard! Master Genkai approaches!"

Everyone turned to the doors of the temple as they slid open. Yusuke gasped when he saw the old woman. "That shriveled runt? That's _Genkai?!_ " _I don't get it... How could_ she _be Master of anything?_

Genkai glared down at the crowd standing before her, raising an eyebrow in speculation. "Well, now. Quite a crowd, I see. Let's whittle this down a bit, shall we?"

Yusuke eavesdropped into a quick exchange a few meters over. "Here we go, this'll be rough."

"No problem. We can tackle _anything_."

Yusuke gulped at the idea of the tests. Just how tough were they?

"The first test is…"

The crowd waited in angst, preparing themselves for the worst.

"Drawing lots." Genkai watched impassively as everyone fell over in disbelief.

Yusuke groaned, scratching his head in confusion. "What the… _A lottery?!_ "

The other fighters murmured, just as confused. "That's it? What's _that_ prove?!"

Genkai pointed to a large ceramic jar on the floor to her left. "Each of you will take an envelope from this jar."

Yusuke glared at the old woman as he stepped into line. _The lady's_ senile. _I'm wasting my time here. Well… There's nothing I can do about the luck of the draw, is there? It'll be a perfect excuse to ditch this scene._ Yusuke was at the front of the line with Kuwabara, reaching for a small envelope.

Kuwabara reached for his envelope next. _All I came for was some advice…_

It took a few more minutes for everyone to draw a lot. Everyone was inspecting their choice, waiting to open the paper slips.

"Everybody got one? Good. Open them, please. If there's a piece of red paper inside, you've passed." Genkai watched as the crowd exclaimed their results.

"Oh no! _White!_ "

" _Red!_ "

"No! _White!_ "

Yusuke ripped his envelope open. "C'mon white…! Gack!" He pulled out a red paper slip.

"It's _red!_ " Yusuke and Kuwabara exclaimed at once.

" _Yours_ is red _too?!_ " Yusuke turned to his friend, surprised.

Genkai smirked to herself, chuckling at the ignorant people. _They think it was luck, but I treated those papers to turn red when held by someone with significant spiritual power._ "Those who passed, follow me. Everyone else, you are excused."

"Just a _minute_ there!" Genkai turned to see two giants looming over her in intimidation. One man had a scarred bald head with thick facial hair reaching over his ears. He wore a traditional martial arts uniform. The other giant had wild hair with a thin beard and thin mustache. He wore a fur tunic with martial arts pants. A blocky headband rested around his forehead.

"We're _famous spiritualists_ from _Kyushu!_ "

"We didn't come all this way to get _turned away_ like _this!_ "

The crowd watched, stunned at the physical mass of the two angry fighters.

"Whoah, those guys _tower_ over Master Genkai! And they _don't look happy!_ "

"Can't say I blame 'em! What a _ripoff_ this was!"

The two giants continued to interrogate the old woman, yelling in anger.

"What have you got to _say_ for yourself?!"

"It'd better be good, or you're gonna be _in for it!_ "

Genkai glared up at the two fighters, annoyed. "Listen, you _pipsqueaks_ , and listen good- I gave you a chance to leave quietly and save face, but you're _blowing_ it. You call yourselves _spiritualists?_ You don't even know _why_ you lost! You're phonies, and you're wasting my time. Go home, knock back some brews, and get a life."

The two men growled in rage. " _Enough_ of your _insults!_ "

" _We will not be mocked!"_ The giants lunged themselves at Genkai.

Yusuke watched in fear for the old woman. "They've lost it! They'll _pulp_ her! No matter what _skills_ she has, there's no _way_ she can stop those brutes!"

" _Kah!_ " Genkai shouted, standing her ground, and blew the giants away. They landed heavily across the courtyard, knocked unconscious. The crowd watched, stunned at the display of power.

"Sh… _She blew 'em away!_ "

"Without even _touching_ 'em!"

Yusuke was amazed by Genkai's power, now that he had witnessed it firsthand. _So_ that's _what she can do!_

Genkai sighed. "Once upon a time, I could make guys like that wet themselves just by looking at them. Now… hmph. Getting old sucks. Anyway, these applicants now see that size isn't everything. And those who've passed the first phase of testing are at least somewhat gifted. Don't stand there _gawking_ – come on."

The remaining contestants followed the old woman around the temple to the next test. Some fighters were still in shock by the incident.

"I'd heard the rumors but… that was _incredible._ "

Yusuke smirked to himself in thought. _Skills powerful enough to strike fear in the hearts of demons! Those would be worth having! Guess I'll stick around after all… and_ win _this competition! Oh, yeah – and I'd better check for this guy_ Rando. _The compass should pinpoint…_

 _BREEP BREEP!_

" _YAAAH!_ " Yusuke yelled, surprised when his Demon Compass exploded on his left wrist. It was meant to detect and guide Yusuke towards the source of demonic energy. "It… _blew up!_ "

Kuwabara looked over at his rival, watching the smoke rise from the busted device. "What th' hey?"

" _The compass might go haywire if a demon as potent as Rando is anywhere nearby."_

 _You were_ right _, Botan. Now I know… Rando_ is _here!_ Yusuke scanned the marching crowd, trying to spot anyone out of the ordinary, hoping he could spot the demon criminal.

Genkai turned to gauge the crowd following behind her. "About fifty left. Not bad."

Yusuke shifted his gaze from face to face. _Rando could be any of these guys, but how do I find out which one?_

There was a big, bald fighter with a big nose and small eyes. There was a strange character who was wearing a gas mask and army helmet, and another guy that could almost pass for Frankenstein's monster. There was even a guy that looked like he belonged at a punk rock concert.

Yusuke turned to Kuwabara and quickly analyzed him.

"What have I gotten myself _into?_ " Kuwabara muttered to himself.

Yusuke held his chin as he inspected Kuwabara. " _You're_ not him, that's for sure."

Kuwabara turned to Yusuke, irritated. "What're you yakkin' about, _scuzz?_ "

Genkai stopped at a door at the end of the hall. "We will now proceed to the second phase of testing!"

She pushed the doors open with a heavy creak. Yusuke and the other fighters gasped at the room, shocked by what was inside.

" _What th' ding-dong?!_ It's an _arcade!_ "

"We're gonna be tested _here?_ "

Genkai answered blandly, "That's right. Now listen up. Each of you will play these games to the best of your ability."

A random fighter in the crowd stepped forward and asked, "Master, I don't understand. How will this prove anyone's _suitability_ to be your pupil?"

Genkai answered, "These machines have been designed to measure your capacities in various ways. Your _spirituality_ – derived capacities, I should say. The _Rock-Paper-Scissors_ game measures your sixth sense. Ten or more wins out of fifteen tries is required to pass. The _Punching game_ measures your spiritual might. You get three tries, and you need at least 120 points to pass. The _Karaoke game_ measures your life energy. You get one try to get at least 70 points to pass."

Yusuke pointed at the other games around the room. "What do _Tetris_ and _Asteroids_ measure?"

"Nothing. They're just for fun. Of the three testing games, you must pass _two_ of them! Oh, and one more thing. They're _100 yen_ each to play."

Yusuke glared at the old woman's back. "Greedy old bag."

"I'll take the first whack. Oughta be a cinch for me." A man with a hooked nose and small mouth slipped on the boxing glove for the punching game. He punched the pad as hard as he could. "How's _that?_ "

His score of 18p flashed on the screen.

"Terrible." Genkai commented from behind.

"Can't be! I hold the _record_ for the Nishiogi punching game!"

"Good for you! But there's no hint of spiritual power working with your physical strength! You've _failed!_ " Genkai emphasized the importance of using their spiritual power over physical power. She was not about to pass on her legacy to a muscle head with no real talent.

Kuwabara took the glove and gave his own solid punch at the game. 129p flashed on the screen. The crowd was impressed that a random kid was able to pass.

"Can you _top that,_ Urameshi?" Kuwabara challenged Yusuke to beat his score.

Yusuke glared at his rival and pulled the glove on. "You _joking_ , Kuwabara? Just watch."

Yusuke punched the pad with a shout. 155p flashed on the screen, trouncing Kuwabara's score. He scratched his nose, content with his score. "There ya go."

Kuwabara grimaced in anger at Yusuke's victory.

" _155 points!_ " The crowd couldn't believe school kids were scoring so high on the tests so soon.

Genkai was impressed by the potential the two boys seemed to hold. _Hmm…_ that one's _got some_ serious spiritual punch.

Kuwabara angrily challenged Yusuke to the next game. "I'll _beat_ you in Rock-Paper-Scissors!"

" _Fat chance_ , Bucko!" Yusuke laughed at Kuwabara's declaration.

Genkai observed the two boys in their competitive bout. _With a bit of training, that boy could become a first class demon-slayer. I wonder if there are any other prospects…_

"Wow, he nailed all _15_ rounds!"

Kuwabara laughed at Yusuke. "How 'bout _that_ , Urameshi?!"

"Man! My intuition's _pathetic!_ " Yusuke had only managed to win 2 out of 15 tries.

 _That lanky kid's got a_ powerfulsixth sense. _Might be able to train him up to some of the advanced weapons and techniques._ Genkai was pulled from her thoughts when she heard one of the people shout.

" _Wow!_ This guy scored _171_ on the punching game! He's even _better_ than that _kid!_ "

The guy the crowd was praising was a grown man with dark shoulder-length hair. He had a goatee and scars on his face. He wore traditional martial arts gi with bandages wrapped around his fists. He gave off the aura of an experienced warrior.

"Gyaah! That's the _worst singing_ I've ever heard!"

"But he's scored 100! You can actually _see_ his aura!"

The crowd was excited about a man at the karaoke game. He was a lean, bald man with a Buddhist manji on his forehead. He wore a red ninja outfit with a fishnet undershirt.

"Karaoke! _That'll_ settle this!" Yusuke glared at Kuwabara.

"Wail away, Chump!" Kuwabara returned Yusuke's glare with his own.

Genkai smiled at the number of potential students before her. _Some real_ contenders _here. Better than I'd hoped._

Eventually, everyone had taken the tests. Only twenty competitors made it through the second phase. Genkai dismissed the failures and ordered the rest to follow her. She led them away from the temple and towards the surrounding forest.

"Hmm… Didn't think so many would get this far." Genkai mused to herself, watching the group behind her.

"She's taking us a long way from the temple." Yusuke looked at his surroundings, trying to figure out what was next.

"What's this about? Where're we going?" Kuwabara was just as on edge about the scenery change.

"Gack?!"

"What is this place?!"

The group had stopped at a line of trees, outlined by a spirit ward. A strange aura emanated from the forest, disturbing the fighters and psychics.

"You've passed the preliminaries. Now for a _serious_ test of your capabilities." Genkai was facing the group, instructing them on the next phase of testing.

"A test… in this creepy forest?"

"More than creepy! It seems to be emitting a _demonic aura._ "

Genkai overlooked the fear coming from the weaker contestants and continued her explanation. "This is a primitive forest teeming with dangerous beasts and deadly traps, where compasses won't function, and all manner of demons dwell. It's called the _cursed forest_. It is no place for _ordinary_ people. None _ever_ come out alive. See that large tree in the distance? That is your goal. You'll pass if you reach it within two hours."

"That's it! I'm _outta_ here!"

"Risk my neck for a bunch of martial arts tricks? _No thanks!_ "

A couple fighters turned and ran from the forest. They deemed it best to live another day than risk death for the sake of fighting.

Genkai chuckled. "Those departing are wise. Facing the _tangible menace_ of the forest, many learn their limits and heed the lesson."

"So it _should_ be. Only those who have had proper training should take this challenge." The experienced fighter spoke his thoughts on the matter.

"Yeah! All you _wannabes_ go home!" The ninja spoke up next to the warrior.

Yusuke and Kuwabara looked at them, unimpressed. "Hmph. _I'm_ in! Do or die, I want to learn the stuff this hag knows." Yusuke challenged their words with his own.

"That's _Master_ Hag to you, punk." Genkai spoke up from the side.

Yusuke walked up to the two fighters, pointing an accusing finger at them. "Who says training'll make any difference anyway? Is that the _real_ advantage you two have?"

The two men stood silent, confused by the young boy's outburst.

Kuwabara pulled Yusuke away and said, "If you're doin' it, _I'm_ doin' it!"

Yusuke replied, "It's _your neck,_ Dum-dum!"

Kuwabara grinned at the thought of winning the competition. _With Genkai's techniques, I could realize my fondest wish:_ pulverizing _Urameshi!_

The fighters lined up across the tree line, waiting for the signal to start running.

"Ready… Get set… _Go!_ "

Everyone took off, jumping over the spirit wards and running into the Cursed Forest without hesitation.

"If you use your sixth sense to avoid danger, you _might_ just make it! I'll meet you at the tree." Genkai then took off so quickly, no one could tell where she had run off to.

" _Lookit her go!"_

"She's not _human!_ "

"If you keep up with me you'll get there quicker." Genkai vanished out of sight almost instantly.

Yusuke groaned at the old woman. _Sixth sense… phooey! The straight path is_ always _the quickest way!_

 _One hour later…_

Genkai stood at the base of the isolated tree on top of the hill. "No one's made it yet. Not surprising. Guess I'll check their progress."

Genkai looked out to the forest and expanded her vision. She spotted each fighter's energy signature and gauged their distance. _Hmm… the closest aura's about 500 meters away. Looks like 5 or 6 of 'em still have a shot at making the time._

Kuwabara picked his way through the tree branches and bushes. "I've managed to kinda follow my instincts and I haven't come across any traps or demons. I _must_ be going the right way. Hmm…" Kuwabara observed the two paths in his way. "I don't like the looks of that direction, so I'll try this."

Another fighter observed his surroundings, paranoia taking hold of his focus. "I'm… I'm right back where I _started!_ Is it my imagination… or am I just going in circles…?" He began running in circles around a large boulder. " _Help mee!_ "

Other contestants were either scared to death by random demons, or had fallen victim to traps such as deadly demonic plants with living vines.

Yusuke made his way through the forest in frustration, his clothes torn and a snake resting on his right shoulder. "I've _lost_ the trail! I can't tell what direction I'm going anymore! And _wherever_ I am, it's crawling with _snakes_ and _leeches!_ Yuck!"

Yusuke stopped when he felt something scratch his cheek. "Ow!"

He saw the blood and looked around at the trees. " _Now what?!"_ Bats hung in the tree branches and flew in circles over his head. "A nest of _bats?!_ "

"What _fool_ dares to enter my _domain_ just in time for _supper?_ "

Yusuke looked for the source of the strange voice. He gasped when he spotted the culprit. It was a human-bat thing. Its face resembled that of a corny vampire he had seen on TV with large pointed ears, its hair combed flat against his head. Black wings wrapped around its body like a cloak. Clawed feet clung to a branch, allowing the creature to hang upside down.

" _Yuuum!"_ The bat master swooped down and flew towards Yusuke at great speed.

"Yipes!" Yusuke braced himself for the oncoming attack.

Back at the tree, Genkai waited for the first person to arrive. "Heh… seems they're _all_ having trouble. Fortunately, I'm here to rescue anyone who becomes hopelessly trapped."

Eventually, Kuwabara made it to the tree. His breathing was heavy and labored. Pointing at himself, he exclaimed, "Hey… I got here _first? Seriously?!_ "

After several minutes, six other fighters showed up within the time limit. Genkai appraised the fighters and announced, "Looks like we have 7 finalists."

The seven finalists included Kuwabara, the warrior, and the ninja. There was also a tall man dressed in a traditional samurai outfit. He wore his hair tied in a ponytail with an eye-patch covering his left eye. A wooden sword rested against his waist. A tall man in glasses kept his hair combed back, and his expression was serious. He wore a simple black sweater and khaki pants. A young boy managed to make his way to the tree in one piece. He wore monk-like clothes with large beads around his neck. He looked a few years younger than Yusuke and Kuwabara. The seventh finalist was a heavyset Chinese man in a pink Chinese outfit. A thin mustache curled at the ends.

Kuwabara clenched his teeth and tried to buy time. "Wait! There should be _eight_ of us!"

Genkai looked up at him, then at her pocket watch. "Oh? There's only one minute left. And rules are rules."

The group waited in silence as the watch ticked away. "Time's up…"

Kuwabara pointed to the tree line and shouted, "No, _wait!_ Look _there!_ "

They watched as a figure pushed his way through the brush. Kuwabara recognized him instantly. " _Urameshi!_ "

Yusuke grimaced with leaves in his hair and scratches all over his body. "So much for taking the straight path, _dammit!_ Thought I'd _never_ get here in time!"

Genkai looked up at the boy, surprised by his claim. "You said you headed _straight_ for this tree? Then you would have met the Bat Master, the toughest demon in the forest…"

Yusuke held up the bat demon's unconscious body with his right hand. The demon had knots on his head with a bloody nose and he was covered in scratches. Yusuke growled at the annoyance he felt fighting him.

"What? You mean _this_ guy? He was a real pest, fluttering around and screeching! Took forever to _bag_ the little sucker!"

Genkai stared at Yusuke while he dropped the bat on the floor. _He_ captured _the Bat Master? Who_ is _this guy?_

There were now eight finalists who had passed the Cursed Forest unharmed. Genkai looked at the finalists and said, "And now… for the _fourth test!"_

The fighters waited eager to hear their next challenge.

"Didn't think I'd need one. Lemme think…"

The fighters fell over in aggravation.


	3. Chapter 3

"Okay, the fourth test will involve _actual combat!_ " Genkai had brought the group back to the temple. "Here's your battle arena! You'll face off two by two until only _one_ of you is left!" Genkai opened the door and ushered the fighters inside. Once everyone was inside, she shut the doors.

"Huh? It's _pitch-black_ in here!" Yusuke looked around but only saw darkness. He couldn't even see his own hand.

"How do we _see,_ let alone fight?" Kuwabara asked no one in particular.

Genkai answered everyone's concern. "This round tests not what you see, but what you _feel._ You may use any techniques or weapons you wish. The only rule is to _defeat your opponent_ and return here!"

"Cat got your tongue, Kuwabara?" Yusuke teased his friend's silence. "Is going one-on-one freakin' you out?"

Kuwabara's face was contorted in discomfort, his body stiff. He broke into a light sweat as he answered Yusuke. "No, it's a feeling… a _bad_ feeling. Something's wrong… somethin' I've sensed since we left the forest. It's like… like some savage beast or monster's lurking nearby."

That caught Yusuke's attention. Yusuke glared at the darkness, recalling the mission he was supposed to be focused on. _Dang, I keep forgetting_ Rando's _here, somewhere, and he's after the Master's techniques._ "Is this feeling coming from one of the other guys?" Yusuke kept his voice low to avoid unwanted attention.

"Yeah… probably. I can't tell which one, though. There's nothin' obvious but I can smell it, y'know? Like… like…" Kuwabara struggled for an accurate comparison.

Yusuke found one for him. "Like a silent fart in a crowded elevator?"

"Close enough, yeah." Kuwabara was too tense to find the humor in Yusuke's remark.

Genkai scratched her cheek as she spoke up. "Let's determine the matchups. Hmm… Come to think of it, I don't even know your names. Go 'round and introduce yourselves."

The samurai spoke up first. "My name is _Musashi._ I exterminate demons. I'm a spiritualist, ranking 4th Dan in Kendo. I'm a master of the Quick Sword Draw."

"I'm _Shaolin_. I'm training as I travel the country. I rank 1st Dan in kung-fu and I'm a spiritualist in-training." The young monk seemed eager to do well.

The martial artist spoke next. "I'm _Kibano_. I'm challenging my own limits."

"My name is _Chinpo._ " The Chinese man offered no other information.

" _Kaze-Maru!_ I'm one of the last ninjas. I'm a VIP bodyguard."

The man in glasses introduced himself. "I'm _Kuroda_. I'm an assassin, skilled with a knife."

" _Kazuma Kuwabara!_ Punk!"

" _Yusuke Urameshi!_ Ultra punk!"

Genkai provided everyone with lots. The matches were thus decided: Shaolin vs. Chinpo, Musashi vs. Kuwabara, Kibano vs. Yusuke, and Kaze-Maru vs. Kuroda. "He who walks out from the darkness is the victor!"

Kuroda stepped forward in inquiry. "One question. In my job, one's opponent _must_ be killed. I note my first match is with a _business rival_."

Genkai answered, "All of you are to fight how you will. Did the third phase _not_ eliminate everyone averse to killing or being killed?"

"All right. One more thing, then you wouldn't refuse to teach an _assassin_ , would you?"

"I'll teach the _ultimate victor,_ no matter his profession or his ambitions. Good enough for you?"

"Good enough. Thank you." Kuroda smiled to himself, satisfied with her answer.

Yusuke looked at Kuroda in suspicion. _This hag is_ insane _. If Rando wins… no, I_ can't _let that happen!_ He clenched his teeth, unsettled by the thought of Rando gaining so much power.

"First match: _Kuroda vs. Kaze-Maru!_ "

Kuroda slipped off his glasses, staring down his opponent who returned the look. As they walked further into the darkness, Kuroda spoke up. "My life is my work."

"Same here. So only _one_ of us will leave this darkness alive."

The two fighters were out of sight within seconds. There was a moment of silence before everyone could hear the sounds of battle. There were a couple of hits made before they heard the sound of metal. Someone was knocked to the ground.

Yusuke growled, annoyed. "I _hate_ not being able to watch!"

Kibano squinted his eyes, trying to see. "Which one has the advantage?"

"The… assassin! _He_ has the upper hand!"

Yusuke turned to sound of his rival's voice, surprised. "You can _see_ them?!"

Kuwabara gasped when he caught a flash of light. Suddenly, everyone saw a blast of energy shoot from someone's palm, hitting his target directly.

 _A_ Reigun?! _But mine's not_ nearly _that powerful!_ Yusuke's mouth gaped open. He didn't expect anyone else to have his power.

A silhouette grew larger as someone walked closer to the group.

"Victor: _Kaze-Maru!_ "

"Mmph! Didn't think I'd have to play my _ace_ in my first _match._ " Kaze-Maru limped back to the group, his right hand clutching at his stomach. His shirt was torn and missing the whole left sleeve, exposing his shoulder pad.

"What _was_ that?" Musashi had never encountered such a technique.

Kibano tried to answer with the best of his knowledge. "An aura weapon of some kind."

"That's what it looked like… so it _was_ a Reigun?" Yusuke mused to himself.

"Pretty much." The voice didn't sound like any of the fighters.

Yusuke knew that voice. " _Botan?!_ What're _you_ doing-"

Botan cut him off before he could finish. "Let's just say I couldn't sit this out." Botan wore figure-hugging blue jeans with an orange jacket. The jacket had two chest pockets. She wore the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. "Kaze-Maru probably emits aura from the palm of his hand. Matching your Reigun to that is like pitting a water pistol against a howitzer. And he's got plenty in reserve even after that last shot."

Botan answered Yusuke's unspoken question. _Can't beat him Reigun for Reigun, then._

Genkai listened to the exchange in silence. Botan stood back, her tongue sticking out a bit. _So Koenma's rooting for this cocky little tough? Interesting. But the selection will remain impartial._

"Victor: _Shaolin!_ "

The young spiritualist walked back, out of breath. His battle had commenced as Yusuke and Botan were talking. "Whoo! That was _close._ "

Botan held her chin in thought, her hand in the shape of a gun. "That's not surprising. He outscored his opponent in the first tests."

Yusuke glared at Botan, annoyed. "Watch that right hand. It might _go off!_ "

"Third match: _Kuwabara vs. Musashi!_ " The two fighters made eye contact as their match was called.

"Don't _trip_ over your _own feet!_ " Yusuke grinned at his classmate, his thumb pointing downward.

"Hmph! Go screw yourself, Urameshi." Kuwabara glared at the obnoxious delinquent.

As Kuwabara and Musashi walked away from the group, the samurai spoke up. "Last chance to withdraw, kid! I will not hold back. This will be to the _death._ "

Kuwabara glanced at his opponent. "I don't scare that easy, dude. I've had my share of fights, and my sixth sense is really sharp. This darkness is _nothing!_ I can see you clearly even- huh?" Kuwabara only saw darkness where the samurai should've been.

Kuwabara suddenly felt the impact of a fist on his cheek, knocking him to the floor. He sat up, looking over his shoulder, and spotted Musashi. "Ah! _There_ you are!"

Musashi stepped back and disappeared from view again. "I'm perfectly aware of your strong sixth sense. But I have trained myself to _suppress_ my aura."

Kuwabara was on his feet, trying to pinpoint the samurai's location. He received another punch to the face. "This _negates_ your _one advantage!_ "

Yusuke cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted into the darkness. "Hey, Kuwabara! Sounds like he's beatin' the _crap_ outta you! You always _said_ you were tough – so _show_ 'im!"

Kuwabara was back on his feet, wiping his arm across his chin. "Aww, whadda _you_ care, Urameshi? Look to your _own_ battles! I'm doin' _fine!_ "

"Doing fine?" Musashi spoke from the shadows. "I've beat you _silly,_ boy. You can _barely stand._ "

"Think so? Hah!" Kuwabara spit the blood from his mouth. "I _spit_ on your wimpy punches, man. You don't know _brutal_ until you've gone a round with _Urameshi!_ "

The samurai growled, frustrated with the boy's stubbornness. "You leave me _no choice,_ then!" Musashi had drawn his wooden sword, his aura shining bright around his body and his weapon.

Kuwabara couldn't believe what he was seeing. "A _wooden sword?_ "

"Not just _any_ wooden sword. It was carved from a tree over 1000 years old and polished with holy water. A proven _demon-slayer,_ good for dealing with _other_ adversaries, too." His aura faded away again.

Kuwabara tried to find him. "He vanished _again!_ How's he _do_ that?!"

Kuwabara noticed too late. He felt the impact every time the sword struck his body.

"Lighning Draw Sword!" Musashi had released a series of consecutive strikes against Kuwabara, knocking him down again. The impact was so strong, the tip of the sword snapped off.

Kuwabara fell onto his shoulders and neck, the wooden tip clattering a few inches from his head.

Musashi inspected his sword, stunned. "My sword… _broken!_ You are _sturdy,_ boy." He watched Kuwabara, surprised he could still stand after his attack.

"I… guess so…" Kuwabara was on his feet and breathing heavy, hunched over with his left hand on his knee, supporting him. His right hand clutched at the tip that had landed nearby. His body was hunched over and trembling as his aura started to shift.

"You can _stand?_ Again, you surprise. But my next blow will _finish_ you. That fragment of my sword is no defense."

"Urk!" Kuwabara clenched his teeth, looking at the wood in his hand. _I… I grabbed it without thinking, but it's true – it won't do me_ any good!

"Time to die!" Musashi was behind Kuwabara, already bringing his sword down for another barrage of strikes.

"Yaa…" Kuwabara turned around, instinctively bringing his arm up to defend himself.

There was a blinding flash of light, catching Musashi by surprise. "Huh?!"

Extending from the wooden shard was an electric surge of energy in the shape of a sword. It blocked his attack just in time.

"It – _It can't be!_ He's created an _aura sword!_ " Musashi was stunned by the display.

"He _has!_ That boy's _gifted!_ " Genkai was impressed by Kuwabara's quick adaptability.

With a solid swing, Kuwabara was able to break what was left of the samurai's sword in half and knock his opponent off his feet. Musashi groaned and fell unconscious.

Holding up the glowing weapon, Kuwabara stared in awe at his new ability. "A sword… of _energy_ … but how… how did I _do_ it?!"

Genkai smirked as she mentally deduced the phenomena. _By grasping a highly charmed object, the boy was able to draw out its_ true power. _And he'll only get_ stronger _with time._ "Victor: _Kuwabara!_ "

Kuwabara walked back to the group, his aura sword already diminished.

"He's shaping up into a serious contender!" Botan cheered at the idea of a strong rival.

"Heh… No kidding!" Yusuke gripped his chin, grinning at the idea of a good fight.

As Kuwabara walked passed Yusuke, they smiled and exchanged words. "Win yours. I'll be waiting."

"Do that. I'll be _back_."

Genkai announced the next match. "The 4th match: _Urameshi vs. Kibano!_ "

Yusuke and Kibano locked eyes before making their way into the darkness.

Yusuke watched Kibano carefully. "Hold up one second!"

Kibano stopped and turned to the boy. "Heh. Change your mind?"

Yusuke rummaged through his pants pockets. He pulled out a small box. There was a cute girl on the box, winking and blowing a kiss. The words "Cupid Super Heavy" were under the picture. He pulled out a cigarette. "A _quick drag_ before the battle…"

Botan whacked the back of his head with a paper fan. Her countenance expressed her disappointment in the teenager.

"That _hurt!_ " Yusuke glared at the girl.

"You _bet!_ Keiko's not here, but that doesn't mean you can go _wild._ Gimme!"

"Leggo! It's my _last pack!_ "

Botan struggled to confiscate the cigarettes while Yusuke tried to keep them in his grasp.

Kibano waited impatiently. "I'd like to get started…"

Botan looked over at the fighter, a smile on her face. "Oh! Heh! Sure!"

"Ready? Let's go." Kibano lead the way to the makeshift arena.

"Right with you." Yusuke followed. Once there, Yusuke tried to spot his opponent. "Whoo boy! It really is _pitch-black_ in here. We can't _see_ each other."

"I don't find that a problem. I know your position precisely." Yusuke listened to the voice echoing around him.

 _He's bluffing. His sixth sense didn't measure up to Kuwabara's._ Yusuke shifted his footing to test his theory.

"You stepped to the right."

" _Huh?! H-How?!_ " Yusuke was baffled by his accuracy.

"Heh heh." Kibano chuckled at Yusuke's inability to see.

"What's that guy _up to?_ " Kuwabara gasped when he spotted Kibano. "And _why's_ he wearing that _weird mask?!_ "

The mask Kuwabara saw was made entirely out of metal. It was snug on Kibano's head, covering his nose and ears as well. A small red dome was in the middle of the forehead. A leather strap was buckled under his chin.

"I'm trained to fight without the need of sight. Without it, I can sense my opponent in other ways – more _accurate_ ways. I sense _you've_ been through a lot. And that enables me to zero in on you. A fierce fighting spirit swirls around you, emanating from your body. You're ablaze!" Kibano locked onto Yusuke's wild aura and charged. "Aha!"

Kibano threw a strong punch to Yusuke's jaw, knocking him to the floor a couple feet away.

"Jeeps! Right on the _chin!_ " Kuwabara narrated what he saw to Botan.

Yusuke kneeled on the floor, wiping his chin with his right hand, his left hand helping with his balance.

"Nice recovery, kid." Yusuke was alert to the voice right behind him.

He was too late to react and received a solid kick to his back, knocking him back down. Yusuke grunted as he caught himself, turning around to try to spot the martial artist. Kibano had leapt into the air and was aiming his foot at the boy. Yusuke managed to dodge the kick. He dodged another punch from the fighter, his fist cracking the floorboards where Yusuke stood seconds before.

"Sense _this_ , jerk!" Yusuke grabbed a piece of broken wood and swiped at his opponent. Kibano dodged, using his right hand to spring out of the way. Kibano was out of Yusuke's sight range again.

"Man! Where'd he _go?!_ " Yusuke tried focusing with his other senses. He heard a creak in the floorboards and launched himself towards the sound. "Clumsy! I got you!

"Ah ha!" He spotted Kibano and delivered a direct punch to his face. However, the experienced fighter gripped Yusuke's shoulder, keeping his arm extended and his body open. He kicked Yusuke square in the abdomen before escaping back out of sight.

Yusuke's body shook from the impact. He managed to stay standing, but he had lost his breath.

"Sounds may hint at my location, but they can't tell you precisely where to aim."

"Urameshi's _screwed!_ " Kuwabara shouted in disbelief. "That _mask_ is also a _helmet!_ "

Botan looked into the shadows, worried for Yusuke. _Yusuke's a rank beginner compared to his opponent's level of training. He'll have to_ outwit _him… a prospect that_ doesn't _fill me with hope!_

"Time to wrap this up…" Kibano lifted his right fist, focusing on his aura. His arm started to tremble and expand.

"Yikes!" Kuwabara watched, grossed out by the sudden increase of muscle mass. "His arm's… _growing!_ "

Kibano's arm had doubled in size, his aura concentrated around the limb. He charged towards Yusuke, his arm ready to attack. "By bringing the aura that flows outside my body _inside,_ I _double_ my _offensive power!_ "

" _Yoicks!_ " Yusuke froze, unable to block or counter.

" _Supercharged Explosive Thrust!_ " Kibano's swollen bicep hit Yusuke in the throat, causing him to start hacking on the floor. Yusuke was on his hands and knees, trying to stabilize his breathing.

"Your reflexes and resilience are impressive. I meant that to be a critical hit."

Yusuke was on his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth. "Yeah…"

"But you've sustained punishment. The aura of your fighting spirit is dimming." Kibano observed as Yusuke's aura became harder for him to detect.

Genkai focused her eyes on the boy, watching his aura react. "What I see is his aura drawing in! Not wise to corner this one, I think…"

Yusuke was bleeding from his left eyebrow and his mouth. His body was covered in scrapes and bruises, his clothes ripped in random places. His breathing was labored. _Even his glancing blows are_ murderous! _I just can't dodge what I can't_ see! _There_ must _be a way to pinpoint his position. Ah! There_ is!An idea struck Yusuke and he was determined to make it work.

"You can't hope to win! You're too badly hurt! Last chance! You may live…" Kibano appeared from Yusuke's blind spot, punching him in the face. "…If you _stay down!_ "

Yusuke took the opportunity to wrap his left arm around Kibano's, similar to how he was grappled before. " _Gotcha!_ " Kibano was surprised by Yusuke's instincts. "I'll pay back that blow with _interest!_ Want a broken arm?"

Kibano smirked at Yusuke's confidence. "Full of _surprises_ , aren't you? Nice move. Not that it'll amount to much. _Whirlwind Kill Throw!_ " Kibano grabbed Yusuke and threw him over his shoulder, twisting his body mid-throw.

" _Yaaah!_ " Yusuke shouted until he hit the floor. His body bounced twice before sliding to a stop.

Kuwabara was pumped from the fight, on edge about Yusuke's disadvantage. "He can't _sidestep_ an attack, and if he tries to _grapple_ he gets _tossed!_ He's at that guy's _mercy!_ "

Botan stood behind Kuwabara, keeping Yusuke's trump card a secret. _Not quite! He still has the_ Reigun! _But he has just one shot – he_ has _to know just_ where _to aim!_

"C'mon, Urameshi, you slouch!" Kuwabara tried to cheer on his friend.

Kibano opened the chamber protecting his left ear. "Do you feel more amenable to giving up now? You have ability, but your limitations give you a snowball's chance in Hell against me. I'll be amazed if you still have the strength to stand."

Yusuke stood back up, his body trembling from the effort. His right arm clutched his stomach in pain. "You think I'm ready… to give up? Hah! I'll _win_ this! Your next attack will be your last… I _guarantee!_ "

Kibano closed the ear chamber and growled. "You macho idiot. You've fought a good fight. That should be _enough_."

Yusuke grinned to himself. "You scared? Want me to make the first move?"

Kibano ground his teeth together, fed up with Yusuke's attitude. "Punk… fine." He started to concentrate his aura into his right arm again, causing the muscles to expand. "I'll _oblige_ your _death wish_."

Kibano circled around Yusuke, aiming to attack from behind. _Whatever trick he_ thinks _he has up his sleeve won't be any good against what he can't see!_

Yusuke began to charge his right index finger with his own aura. He waited for the best chance to attack.

" _Goodbye, brat!_ " Kibano was behind Yusuke, preparing to strike with full force.

Kuwabara and Botan shouted in fear. "Yusuke!"

"So long _yourself!_ " Yusuke smirked as he aimed his right index finger, in the shape of a gun, under his left elbow. He fired the blast of energy and hit Kibano directly on his forehead, destroying the mask.

"H-how did you know where to _aim?!_ " Blood spilled from the warrior's forehead. He ignored it, struggling to keep conscious.

"Before you pass out, check your belt." Yusuke grinned at his well thought out plan.

Kibano gasped when he noticed a tiny orange glow. "What?! A lit _cigarette?!_ How'd _that_ get there?!"

"I _planted_ it when we grappled. With your mask and that thick _gi_ , you never noticed."

"Duh… Darn it…" Kibano fell unconscious as he fell back on the floor.

"Victor: _Urameshi!_ "

Kuwabara chuckled while he wiped his chin with the back of his hand. "You sneaky weasel."

"Check it, guys: even _vices_ come in handy." Yusuke walked back to the group, a smug look on his face. He held an imaginary cigarette to his mouth with a smirk on his face. "I owe my victory to speed in lighting up and moves that'd be the envy of any pickpocket."

Botan chopped the back of his head and scolded him. "Nothin' to be proud of, pal."


	4. Chapter 4

" _The semi-finals commence immediately! First match: Kaze-Maru vs. Urameshi!"_ Genkai wasted no time announcing the next match.

"What?!" Yusuke couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Great! I'm sick of standing around!" Kaze-Maru stood with his arms crossed, smirking at Yusuke's misfortune.

Yusuke pointed his thumb at himself, trying to get out of fighting back-to-back matches. "But I just finished a match!"

Genkai brushed off his anger. "The order of the matches is set. Tough break, kid! Come on. We're changing locales." She opened the doors, blinding everyone, and led the group through another mountain trail.

Yusuke dragged behind the rest of the group, panting for breath. "Swell! My Reigun's used up and I'm a mass of bruises. I don't give myself good odds for this round."

Botan turned her head to look at the exhausted teen. "Yeah, and to top it all off, this Kaze-Maru could be _Rando!_ "

They both looked at the two remaining suspects ahead of them. _Sheesh… two left besides Kuwabara and me. I wonder…_

"Here we are." Genkai led the group out of the forest and into a large marshy land with puddles of water everywhere.

"A _swamp!_ " Yusuke and the others stared at the open space.

Genkai turned to the group and explained the land. "Ancient battles were fought here. There is no more _spiritual_ a spot on this mountain. Here is where your powers may reach full flower."

"You're right. I feel power _surging_ within me." Kaze-Maru lifted his left palm, smiling at the sensation.

Botan looked at Yusuke and asked, "Um… anything?"

"Yeah, I'm getting _some_ strength back…" Yusuke struggled to focus energy on his trigger finger. "…But not near enough for a _decent_ _shot!_ " Yusuke glanced at Kaze-Maru. _And if he's Rando, with powers he hasn't shown yet, I'm_ cooked! The two fighters made their way to the battlefield.

"Begin!" Yusuke tensed while Kaze-Maru watched calmly.

"You've drawn a bad hand. I sympathize. But in the real world, you must play the cards' luck and let chance deal out. With enough spiritual strength, you _may_ prevail." Kaze-Maru looked down at Yusuke, confident in his victory.

Yusuke clenched his fist. _I'll only prevail if I_ nail _him with one_ counter punch!

Kaze-Maru shifted his footing. "Interesting to find another who can emit Reiki, as I can, but it seems your energy's spent." He made a dash for Yusuke. "I could defeat you now with my _bare hands!_ "

Yusuke tried to dodge away, but his foot sunk into the muddy grass. Yusuke looked down, stunned. "Urgh! Stuck!" He looked up in time to see the fist before it made contact.

Kaze-Maru pummeled Yusuke with direct punches to the face. They came at him so quickly, he didn't have a chance to block. With a final right hook, Kaze-Maru knocked Yusuke off balance several feet away.

"Guh…!" Yusuke dragged himself from the ground. His cheeks had started to swell as bruises formed everywhere else. His whole body was feeling heavy and sore. Kaze-Maru sauntered closer, like a predator stalking its prey.

Kuwabara panicked for Yusuke, unable to do anything but watch. "Cripes! He's _too beat_ to strike back or dodge!"

Yusuke looked up as his opponent made another dash, his fist raised for the final blow. "I'll make it _quick!_ "

" _Now!"_ Yusuke saw Kaze-Maru coming and swung his right fist as hard as he could. Kaze-Maru saw Yusuke's attack at the last second and leaned back. " _Ahh! I missed!"_ Yusuke's punch had barely scratched the ninja's left cheek. He grimaced at his wasted energy.

Kaze-Maru kept his distance, cautious with the kid's fighting instincts. "You're _not_ as spent as I thought! I'll have to stay out of your reach and take you out by _other_ means." The ninja pulled out four shuriken from a hidden pocket. Aura started to concentrate around the weapons in his hands.

"Throwing stars…?" Yusuke was taken aback by the ninja's change in battle tactics.

"Hah!" Kaze-Maru threw the stars at Yusuke.

The worn out teen stood his ground. "I may be in pretty bad shape, but I can still dodge these things!" Yusuke jumped out of the way of the projectiles. Kaze-Maru stood, unfazed, with his arms crossed. "You got anything else, pal? Or are you just going to stand there-"

Yusuke caught the faint sound of the knives. They were getting louder.

" _Yaaah!_ " Yusuke turned and threw himself out of the way in one motion, using his right hand as a spring. The knives managed to cut his left knee and wrist. He stood and prepared to dodge again, facing the blades as they changed direction. "They're coming back around! Like they have _minds_ of their _own!_ " He was too slow. They slashed his left forearm and shoulder, his inner right thigh, and his left cheek.

Kaze-Maru lifted his right hand from his left bicep, his thumb and index finger extending upwards. He resembled a teacher lecturing his student. "Reiki-seeking throwing stars, my friend! You can't escape them! They'll keep coming until they hit you!"

Yusuke braced himself, waiting for the spinning blades to get closer. At the last moment, he leaped to the right. One of the knives struck the tree behind him and exploded on impact. The blast sent Yusuke sliding across the ground, getting mud and grass into his fresh cuts. "Aaaah!

"Urf!" Yusuke landed on his back with a hard thud.

Kaze-Maru pointed his right hand at his opponent, laughing. "Oh, yes. They also _explode_ when they hit! Dodging is ineffective! A near miss will get you! You're _out_ of _options!_ "

Yusuke forced himself to stand up, his body weak and trembling. "Oh, man…" _This is bad… one more of those and I'm toast. I… I think this is it._ He could hear the shuriken behind him. They were coming back again. _But if this guy's Rando…I can't just_ stand _here…_ He glanced up and spotted his brawling rival. _Kuwabara… this sucks, but…_ He took off running straight for Kaze-Maru. "… The rest is up to you!"

Kuwabara and Botan were taken off guard by Yusuke's sudden exclamation. "He's charging Kaze-Maru!"

Said ninja began to charge up his Reiki into his right palm, preparing to attack. "A Kami-Kaze attack, eh? Straight into my Reiki blast!"

"Straight into _whatever_ you've got! If I go down, _you_ go down!" Yusuke glared at his opponent, prepared for the worst.

Kaze-Maru extended his charged hand, palm facing Yusuke. His left arm grasped his right bicep to absorb to recoil. "Fool! You'll never get _near_ me! _Take this!_ "

Within an instant, Yusuke disappeared from sight.

"What? _Where'd_ he _go?!_ " Kaze-Maru stared right where his target was supposed to be in front of him, his charging palm still extended. "He vanished! Impossible!"

Kaze-Maru noticed the reiki-sensing shuriken flying straight for him. "No! Hey! _Whoa…!_ "

There was a large explosion where the ninja stood. Kuwabara rose his right hand to shield his face while the others watched on, not bothered as much by the force from impact.

Kaze-Maru was seen flying back from the force of the explosion, his clothing torn and singed. "I just… don't _get_ it!" He landed with a muffled thump, his limbs splayed open. He was down and out of commission.

The shinobi was soon forgotten as Kuwabara exclaimed, "Holy cheese! It's _true!_ Urameshi's disappeared!" The young teen tried to search around the field for his missing classmate.

Botan glanced down when she heard a gurgle in the water. She gasped when she spotted a hand waving out from a muddy puddle. "Hey, down there!"

Kuwabara immediately rushed over to pull his rival from the water while Botan crouched to the side, her hands covering her mouth in shock. Kuwabara glared down as Yusuke coughed out the murky water. "You hid in a _bog?!_ Talk about desperate!"

"Who was _hiding?!_ Koff! I _fell in!_ " Once Yusuke was out and able to speak properly, he looked around, his face smeared with drying mud. "Still, did it turn out to be the _right move_ anyway?"

Genkai smirked and answered, "It would seem so. Your sudden disappearance threw Kaze-Maru off his timing. Accidental as it was, it's still your victory. Lady Luck smiled on you this time, Urameshi."

"I… I can't… believe it… uuh…" Everyone looked at Kaze-Maru as he groaned and passed out.

"Same here!" Yusuke was even more surprised than the battered ninja.

Botan turned to Yusuke, lowering her voice for his ears only. " _He's_ not Rando, that's certain. Now that he's out cold, I detect no subconscious demonic aura from him."

Yusuke gasped in shock, turning to look at the remaining suspect. "Then the only one it _could_ be is…"

" _Prepare for the second semi-finals match!_ "

Kuwabara glanced down at his deceptively young opponent. _Heh, piece o' cake._

Botan looked at the young spiritualist, worried but thrown off by his chosen appearance. "I wouldn't have guessed it!"

Yusuke was just as thrown off. " _That_ little dude…?"

" _Semi-finals match 2!_ "

Kuwabara walked into the field, rotating his right shoulder in anticipation for his future match. _I'll put this shrimpboat away, then it's down to me and Urameshi!_ " Shaolin kept his expression carefree but there was a sense of eagerness in his large eyes.

" _Wait_ a second! Kuwabara, _listen-,_ " Yusuke tried to get Kuwabara's attention, to warn him about just who he was really facing. Kuwabara turned, curious about what he had to say.

Botan grabbed Yusuke and scolded him with her finger. "No, Yusuke! Don't reveal classified information! Remember, we're _undercover!_ "

"Oh yeah." Yusuke deadpanned. He had completely forgot.

Kuwabara turned to Yusuke with his full attention. "What? You gonna cheer me on? Don't bother."

"That wasn't… I mean, well…" Yusuke stammered, trying to think of an alternate way to warn his classmate. He cupped his hand around his mouth and leaned closer, lowering his voice. "…Don't underestimate this guy, that's all. My advice? For your own good, throw the match!"

" _Your_ advice?" Kuwabara pressed his middle finger against Yusuke's nose. Yusuke glared and gritted his teeth angrily. "You won through dumb luck, punk! And you still got beat up so bad you can barely stand! Just sit tight. I'll get to you next, don't worry."

The two teens jumped away from each other and began to argue. Genkai and Shaolin watched impassively. "Fine then! _Get_ yourself killed! See if I care!"

"Hope your life insurance's paid up, pal!"

"Jeez Louise, would you guys _knock it off?!_ " Botan yelled at the two delinquents, trying to get them to focus.

" _Begin!_ "

Shaolin held his right fist against his left palm and bowed slightly in respect. "May the best man win."

Yusuke and Botan watched nervously while Kuwabara shifted his footing. Kuwabara suddenly dashed straight ahead, pulling back his right fist. "Best defense is a good _offense!_ " The two spectators gasped as his punch landed strong across Shaolin's cheek.

"Uhh!" Shaolin was sent back several yards, sliding along the slick grass.

"Huh?" Yusuke was stumped by the spectacle. Was Rando really so weak that even Kuwabara could beat him?

"Oww…." Shaolin sat and rubbed his bruising cheek, trying to dull the pain. "You're _stronger_ than the numbers indicated."

Kuwabara rubbed the back of his head, almost embarrassed for the youngster. "Shee, I barely whiffed him. This guy's a wuss."

Shaolin was back on his feet. He shifted into a new battle stance. "I'd better get _serious,_ then…

"Dah!" Shaolin dashed straight for Kuwabara. "Yah! Hah!" He threw a punch, but Kuwabara easily stepped out of the way. "Tah! Hiyah!" Shaolin pursued, throwing punch after punch. Kuwabara continued to dodge his feeble attacks until he got tired of dodging.

"Hmph!" Kuwabara brought his fist down on top of Shaolin's head. He crossed his arms and laughed. "So, who's getting the better of who?"

"Owww." Shaolin rubbed his head in pain with both hands.

Genkai watched the fight, unaffected by the display in front of her. Meanwhile, Yusuke and Botan couldn't believe what they were watching. Yusuke turned to Botan and voiced his doubts. "Are you _sure_ that's Rando? 'Cause if it is, he ain't livin' up to his notices. Maybe he got beat up and robbed of _his_ power."

"Hmm." Botan wasn't so sure herself.

Shaolin composed himself and settled into a fighting stance. His legs were wide apart, his knees bent at 90 degrees. His arms were angled slightly downward with his palms upwards, palms open and fingers slightly curved. His aura began to visibly shift around his body. "Okay, time to play my _ace_."

"Uh-Oh! His aura's changing!" Botan could feel the energy fluctuating with heat. Soon, a ball of flame ignited in each of his open palms.

"Gack! _Fire?!_ " Kuwabara couldn't believe his eyes.

Shaolin's aura receded into his body and focused into his hands. The flames burned brighter with more energy.

"That technique!" Genkai instantly recognized the attack.

"Fiery Palms! Tah!" Shaolin threw the fireball from his right hand. It flew through the air quickly, barely grazing Kuwabara's shirt as he flinched away from the heat.

" _Whoa!_ Hot-hot-hot!" Kuwabara franticly tried to put out the small fire on his left side.

"The fire's got him hoppin' around! C'mon, moron, you're _not_ a _rabbit!_ " Yusuke tried to bring Kuwabara's focus back to his opponent.

Once the fire was out, Kuwabara glared at the young monk. "Gonna pitch _that_ kinda stuff at me, eh? Fine, then. Since I'm at the plate…" Kuwabara pulled out the tip from Musashi's sword, using it to focus his new weapon. " _Leadoff Hitter Sword!_ "

"Hah!" Shaolin threw another fireball at Kuwabara.

"Tah!" Kuwabara swung his sword, hitting his target, and sent it flying back at the boy.

"Urrgh!" The fire struck directly in the abdomen, knocking him back on his feet.

" _Hoo hah! Infield drive!_ " Yusuke cheered in elation at Kuwabara's counter strike.

Kuwabara held out his sword proudly. "Your fireball pitches ain't _nothin'_ to a _120km/hr hitter,_ baby!"

Yusuke turned to Botan, pointing excitedly at the two fighters. "Kuwabara's getting more _powerful_ by the minute! Even if he _is_ Rando, Shaolin could be in _trouble!_ "

Botan grinned hopefully. _Could he be right?_

Shaolin was back on his feet, smoke still rising from his singed clothes. He still smiled eagerly, undaunted by the unexpected move. " _Wow!_ No dodging! You hit that _straight back!_ Defense _and_ offense in _one fighting style!_ "

Kuwabara grinned, resting his sword over his shoulder. "Heh. Flattery'll get you nowhere. Give up!"

"Not just yet…" Shaolin squatted into another stance, his hands clasped together with his index fingers extending upward. He began chanting in an old language.

Kuwabara groaned, not understanding a single syllable. "What's with all the Buddhist jazz? He sayin' his prayers before I flatten him?!"

"That spell…" Yusuke and Botan turned their attention to the old psychic, curious. "…and the flaming palms… The best voodoo charmers and martial artists I know have spent _decades_ mastering those techniques. I've heard that recently some were victims of a demon who's _stolen_ their secrets."

Yusuke gasped, his suspicions confirmed. "So that _is_ Rando?"

Kuwabara grew tired of standing around. He made a dash for Shaolin just as he began to lower his arms. "If you won't make a move, I will!"

As Kuwabara was closing in on Shaolin, he came to an abrupt stop. "Huh?!" His eyes widened and perspiration glistened down his face. " _Gack!_ " Shaolin was towering over him, looking down with a smile on his face.

The spiritualist took a single step in Kuwabara's direction, aiming to crush him. " _Yaah!_ " The target in question jumped out of the way, narrowly escaping with his life, and landed in a kneeling position. "He's become – a _giant!_ "

Kuwabara stood and frantically looked around at his surroundings. "Huh?! Where'd these bushes come from?" He was alerted to a rustling from behind and quickly spun around. He yelled in surprise at the caterpillar that crawled by harmlessly. It almost reached his knees without lifting its body. He freaked out, jumping away as the insect rushed away. " _Ohmigosh!"_

Kuwabara clenched his teeth, trying to wrap his mind around what was happening. "What's goin' _on?_ Did he grow, or did I…?"

Shaolin reached down and grasped Kuwabara in his right hand, binding his arms to his sides. "Ack!" Kuwabara gasped in pain as he was squeezed in his opponent's fist.

"Get it now, Tom Thumb? I didn't grow – you _shrank!_ " Kuwabara looked at the young monk in fear. His whole body began to sweat and tremble from the pain. His teeth were clenched as he tried to suppress his screams.

"K-Kuwabara's no bigger than a _doll!_ Shaolin can _crush_ him at will!" Yusuke had to end the match before it was too late. "Kuwabara! Throw in the towel! _You've lost!_ "

"Please don't spoil my fun." Shaolin watched in sadistic pleasure as he applied more pressure around his victim. "I'd like him to _suffer_ a little… before the end." Kuwabara could only grunt in pain as his body was slowly succumbing to the tightening grip.

"What if I took your right arm like this…" Shaolin held Kuwabara's arm almost delicately. Kuwabara stared in shock and fear, helpless against the sadistic monk.

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke could only standby and watch as his rival suffered in front of him.

Shaolin positioned his thumb just inside Kuwabara's elbow, resting his arm along his curved index finger. He began to apply pressure, straining the bones and causing a few cracks.

"D-don't- Aaah!" Kuwabara's arm snapped, the sound ringing loud and clear through his screams. Yusuke gasped, disbelief evident in his horrified expression.

Kuwabara wailed in agony while Shaolin laughed. "Ha ha! Brittle as a matchstick, eh? Now, if I just went ahead and squeezed _real_ hard…"

Yusuke desperately turned to Genkai. "Hey woman, it's over! _Call it!_ "

Genkai obliged the enraged teen's demand. "Mmm… _That's enough! Victor: Shaolin!_ "

Said monk grinned sadistically as he heard the declaration. "Hear that? I _won!_ Ha ha ha!" He proceeded to squeeze his victim in his hands, bones crunching under the pressure.

" _Kuwabara! You scum-ball!_ " Yusuke charged Shaolin in a blind rage, ready to pound the fighter's brains in.

Shaolin smirked, amused by the delinquent's reaction. "Heh. I'm done with him, so… _here!_ " Shaolin turned and threw his broken opponent across the field. He clutched his stomach in joy as he pointed and laughed at the irony. "Ha ha ha! Got some real _speed_ on that pitch! Ah, the thrill of victory."

"K-Kuwabara!" Yusuke ran back in the direction he was thrown. He and Botan looked around frantically, trying to find his body among the wild grass.

"Guess you'd like to have him back to normal size. Well, why not?" Shaolin positioned his hands into the same gesture as his original incantation.

Within moments, Kuwabara returned to his normal size. His body was covered in bruises, from his swollen face to his mangled arms. His clothes were stained with splatters of blood and dirt. His right arm was purple and swelling around the elbow. His body twisted in ways that inspired little hope.

Yusuke knelt next to his rival. "Oh… Man!"

Botan knelt to the other side of the boy. "Both his arms are shattered. His left leg and ribs too…" The grim reaper inspected Kuwabara's injuries with trained eyes. "It's bad… those arms may never heal properly…"

Yusuke's countenance turned grim due to Botan's diagnosis. He was powerless to stop it.

"I'd been wanting to try that spell for a while, but it's a lengthy and complicated incantation." Shaolin explained the mechanics of his technique, becoming enthused by its potential. "Leaves me vulnerable while I conjure it, and it doesn't really make me more powerful. All in all, not very practical. Master Genkai's techniques, though, are another matter. They require few words, but create _devastating_ results."

Genkai frowned, unable to deny such potential. "That would be so in _evil_ hands."

Shaolin pumped his fists, grinning from ear to ear, and eager to win the tournament. "You guys don't know how _excited_ I am about this! I'm just _itching_ to try all that stuff out!"

"Hey." Yusuke glared at Shaolin, his clenched fist shaking in barely contained anger. "In your dreams."

Shaolin turned to his new opponent curiously. He smiled as he analyzed Yusuke's spirit energy. "Wow. I've never seen an aura so fired up with _bloodlust_. Cool."

Yusuke grit his teeth and growled, " _You're dead, Rando! Dead!_ "


	5. Chapter 5

" _Rando! You monster!"_ Yusuke charged the monk at full speed, pulling his fist back. "There was no _reason_ to do _that_ to _Kuwabara!_ " Botan could only gasp and watch as she knelt next to the mangled teen in question.

Shaolin could only stare in shock. One moment, he was smiling at his opponent's grief. The next moment, he felt the impact of Yusuke's charged right hook connecting through his left cheek. He was sent sprawling yards away from the infuriated force behind the attack.

Yusuke held up his clenched fist, trembling with rage and fatigue. "You're goin' _down_ , Rando. For _that_ and for the _99 people_ you've _killed._ "

"Unh… Mumph…!" Shaolin struggled to speak as he brought his arm up to rub across his swollen cheek. "Huh?!" As he tried to stand up, he felt his legs quiver under his weight. They were numb and would not respond to his will.

" _Graah!_ " Yusuke dashed within close range of the monk and delivered a strong left uppercut into his stomach, stealing the air from his lungs. Shaolin was sent back to the ground, sliding several meters through the slick grass.

"Get up!" Yusuke walked towards his opponent slowly. His fists were clenched in barely contained anger as he watched Shaolin sit back up.

"Bluck… Whoo." Shaolin coughed on the blood in his mouth and brought his arm up against his cheek again. He was covered in bruises, muddy grass, and blood. "He punched up a score of 155, but in combat I'd say he easily tops 200…"

"And that's just for starters!" Yusuke ground his teeth as he pulled back for another punch.

"Haah!" Shaolin was able to kneel on one knee and bring his arms up in front of him in a cross. His aura shifted and began to spiral around him. " _Slicing Gale Aegis!_ "

Shaolin jumped into the air and swept his opens open, releasing slices of wind that focused from the monk and expanded toward Yusuke's charge. "I've whipped up _supersonic vortices_ all around! They're _buzz saws of air_ , coming at you from _all sides!_ "

"He'll be _hamburger_ if he charges straight into them," Botan shouted. She and Genkai watched the battle, stunned by Yusuke's suicidal tactic.

As the wind blades grew louder and drew closer, Yusuke shouted and hurled his body high into the air, his arms held up over his head and his eyes locked on Shaolin. The monk flinched back, startled by the detective's instincts. " _What?!_ He's leaping _over_ them?!"

"By diving _head first,_ he's avoiding the _worst effect_ of the vortices!" Genkai was quick to see the boy's plan and explained for Botan's benefit.

Meanwhile, Yusuke had raised his fists up to shield his face from lethal damage. As he cleared the winds, Yusuke extended his arms and crossed them against Shaolin's throat, applying his full weight with the force of gravity. Shaolin was instantly thrown off balance and landed with a loud crack to his neck and skull, blood spilling from his mouth.

Yusuke collapsed and rolled to his back next to the unconscious Shaolin. "Heh heh… Gotcha, punk." Still trembling, Yusuke struggled to stand on his feet. "Repent your crimes in Hell.

"I'm done, man… shot, finished, kaput." Yusuke made his way back to Botan and the barely conscious Kuwabara.

"Don't worry," Botan cheered with her arms spread wide above her head. "You nailed him with one _smashing blow!_ You've _avenged_ Kuwabara's demise in style!"

As Yusuke began to sway off balance, Botan watched in amusement. "Good gosh, you _are_ kaput!"

"Hold on, kid. It's not over. Not by a long shot."

"Huh?" Yusuke winced as he looked at Genkai.

"If Shaolin is Rando, then he's just getting warmed up."

Yusuke froze as he heard a deep laugh behind him. The earth began to rumble as the monk's body changed form. "Let's see… How many _decades_ has it been since I last fought a human in the clear, as _Rando?_ " His bones could be heard as they cracked into place, his small hands becoming large and clawed. "I didn't expect to be unmasked by anyone less than Genkai, that's for sure." The demon removed his tattered outfit. "I like it. It's _exciting._ I must carefully consider how this one is to _suffer_ and _die_."

Yusuke could just slowly shift his eyes to look behind him, a nervous sweat breaking on the back of his neck. He could feel the killing intent radiating just behind him.

"After all, I'd like to have some _fun_ with this." Rando stood proud and unharmed. He seemed to be at full health despite Yusuke's assault. His crimson hair flowed in gentle waves to his lower back. His torso was lined with deep blue markings that resembled something like a spider's web or a system of veins and arteries. Similar markings adorned his face, centered on the bridge of his nose and fanning over his cheeks like a mask.

 _He… He_ changed! Yusuke watched Rando in a cold sweat. _And that ain't just any run-of-the-mill demonic aura surrounding him!_

"Wow! So _that's_ Rando..!" Botan watched in awe next to a passive Genkai.

As Rando calmly made his way to his latest adversary, Yusuke was frozen in place, struggling to stay on his feet. "Anything wrong? You're looking a little pale."

Yusuke gritted his teeth and charged, pulling back for another attack. " _You shut yer yap!_ " Yusuke assaulted Rando with a barrage of punches that connected directly to the chest. "Take _this,_ and _this,_ and _this!_ "

Rando smiled and said, "You done? That _wasn't_ anything like your last attack. I barely felt those punches. They had no power."

"Uugh…" Rando had called his bluff. Yusuke needed a plan.

Rando inhaled deeply, and when he exhaled, shimmering threads began to spill from his mouth. They continued to reach out and extend towards Yusuke who watched in confusion. "Threads… made of _aura?!_ "

When Rando had finished, the substance dangled from his mouth. "An entire _aura web,_ actually. I'm probably the only demon who can spin one." As he spoke, the webbing seemed to move on its own and constrict around Yusuke's limbs.

"Urk?!" Yusuke tried to pull away, swatting and tangling the threads as they gradually became thicker and stronger. Before long, Yusuke was wrapped from shoulders to knees in the aura web. "I… I _can't move!_ "

Botan and Genkai gasped, surprised by the demon's abilities.

"It's tough stuff." Rando gripped the webbing in both hands, wrapping it around one hand and pulling back with the other to demonstrate his point. "No matter how hard you try, you can't break it. Here, I'll _show_ you!"

With all is strength, Rando pulled his end of the webbing up and over his shoulder. Yusuke yelled until he was brought down hard against the ground. The jolt was enough for his teeth to snap down and bite his tongue.

"Again!" Rando swung again, lifting Yusuke's cocooned body for another throw. "See? What did I _tell_ you? I could _swing_ and _swing_ and _swing all day…_ " He brought the webbing down in front of him, slamming Yusuke back into the ground. "…but it would _never snap!_ "

"Good gosh…" Botan watched the match, horrified and scared for the detective. "He can't escape! He's _helpless…!_ "

Once satisfied, Rando began to tread across the swamp, dragging Yusuke behind him in the wet grass. Yusuke grunted with every bump along the way, trying to ignore the pain from his injuries and focus on catching his breath.

A smile graced Rando's features when he turned back to his prey. "Say, I've got an idea."

"There! How's _that_ feel, eh?" Rando stood at the edge of a muddy pond. He had Yusuke hanging upside down, tied to the branch of a dead tree. Yusuke was hanging right over the water, glaring at Rando with one eye, the other swollen shut.

"Unh! What _sadistic trick_ is this?! You've got me, so why don't you _kill me?!_ "

"First, I'd like you to meet my friends." Rando proceeded to extend his arm towards the murky water, chanting in a language unrecognizable to his defenseless prey.

Yusuke could only watch as bubbles started to form on the pond's surface, distinct fish-shaped shadows swimming just beneath. Suddenly, they sprang from the water, just a meter short of chomping him like a whale at a theme park. " _Gack! What are those things?!_ " Those things were large demonic fish with a dozen eyes each. Their gaping mouths were accentuated with jagged, double-rowed teeth.

"Fish summoned from the demon plane. Cute, huh?" Rando held a small demon in his hand. It was a common imp with pointed ears, horn, and a tail. It squirmed, sensing its approaching demise. "They also have big appetites."

He casually flung the imp into the pond of carnivorous fish. Before the demon could hit the water, the fish gorged themselves on his flesh and intestines. By the time they were finished, only bones floated to the top. Yusuke felt his body shiver in overwhelming fear.

"Human flesh is a special _treat_ for them."

"Th-that _pose!_ " Botan exclaimed in recognition.

Rando was aiming his right index finger, in the shape of a gun, at Yusuke. Demon energy gathered at the tip of the appendage and he pulled the trigger. The bullet flew by Yusuke, just barely grazing his cheek. Yusuke was frozen, blood running to the top of his head as he hung like fish bait on a hook.

"Mm… love that expression." Rando smirked, reveling in the fear reflecting from Yusuke's expression.

"He's seen the Rei Gun just once, yet he's figured out how -," Botan couldn't believe her eyes.

"Yes…" Genkai assessed Rando's mastery of learning and application. "That one's a quick study, all right. He has the potential to _surpass_ me, but as an _evil_ master."

Rando brought up his aim for another shot. "Love the screams humans make when they get eaten alive, too." He released another round and hit his target dead on. The branch that suspended Yusuke burst into splinters, dropping him to the pond of man-eating fish. Rando grinned as his eyes followed his descent. "Make it _good_ , kid."

" _Yusuke!_ " Botan shouted fearfully next to Genkai. The old hermit gaped in uneasiness.

" _Waaah!_ " Yusuke yelled on his way to his watery death. _I'm done for! Dumped into a slimy pond to be eaten by a school of ugly_ demon fish! _What a_ stupid _way to die! They say you relive the best moments of your life when you're about to die, but all I remember are aggravations! I should've_ grabbed _for more_ gusto! His body hit the water with a large splash.

"Now let's have a beautiful _fountain of blood_ and a hearty set of _blood-curdling-screams!_ " He waited by the water, watching and listening for any signs of agony. "Hmph… nothing. Oh, well, once his bones float to the surface, Master Genkai's secrets are _mine_."

" _Yusuke!_ " Botan panicked for Yusuke's predicament. She looked down at the psychic master to her right. "Master! Yusuke's going to _die…!_ "

"Hmm…" Genkai barely acknowledged Botan's fear and continued to watch the pond.

Behind the two spectators, Kuwabara's battered body began to glow with a faint light. As the light grew brighter, it began to solidify from his chest.

Meanwhile, in the muddy waters, Yusuke sunk to the bottom, head first and still bound to the broken branch. He glared at the webbing that kept him immobile, holding his breath behind clenched teeth. Blood spilled from his wounds and mixed with the water, attracting the aquatic predators. Once the fish had locked onto their target, they swarmed, hissing and baring their shark-like teeth.

Yusuke squeezed his eyes shut. _This is it! Game over!_

 _Giving up,_ already, _Urameshi? That's_ pathetic! Yusuke snapped his eyes open. Had that been in his head or…? _That_ voice! _It's…_

Yusuke lost the breath he was holding as a figure began to manifest in front of him.

…Kuwabara?! Yusuke could see his classmate in front of him, looking bruised but otherwise in good health. He was only visible from the waist up and he was emitting a warm glow of aura.

Kuwabara sneered at Yusuke in disgust, like he was looking at something that was beneath him. _To think I've been_ obsessed _all this time with clobbering a whiny little_ quitter _like you! Once I'm better, I'll go after that kid and stomp his butt- if not the first time, then the next, or the_ next!

Yusuke glared and bristled at Kuwabara's words.

 _While you become an inadequate and dejected pile of_ fish crap! _Just the end for a_ loser dipstick _like you!_ Kuwabara proceeded to cackle at Yusuke's predicament before fading away.

"Oh… _yeah?!_ " Yusuke glared at his rival until he was gone completely, his laughter still echoing in his ears. He began to curl into himself, using his full strength to pull his arms free. His aura lashed out wildly at the approaching demon fish. His veins began to pulse through his strained neck as the web started tearing apart. " _Shut your face!_ "

Rando was taken aback as the pond water suddenly burst up like a geyser. The demon fish rained from the sky, half skeletal, and landed on the pond surface or the surrounding grass.

Kuwabara let out a weak chuckle. "Heh…heh… see, dummy… you can do it…"

"Huh?" Botan looked down at the barely conscious boy, confused by what he meant.

"What _was_ that…," Rando muttered. "Could've sworn I saw a huge discharge of aura. It couldn't be…" He glanced down at the twitching fish skeletons by his feet. "…But _something_ blew these demon fish out of the water." He began to make his way to the water's edge. "Did he break out of my web? If he _did_ summon this explosive burst of power, maybe he _has_ managed to free himself. But the moment he floats to the surface will be his last."

Rando charged to fire another Rei Gun bullet at the pond. "Come on… Come on…" The waters remained steady and showed no signs of movement.

"Yusuke…" Botan clenched her fist to her mouth in worry. "Did he succumb to his own last effort…?"

They continued to watch the water until a bubble of air formed on the surface. "Hah!" Rando's face lit in barely contained anticipation. " _Gotcha!_ "

"Hah!" Rando was stunned when he heard the voice directly behind him. "Gotcha _back!_ " Yusuke grinned in triumph and satisfaction that he was able to dupe his opponent.

Rando turned around, eyes open wide with his mouth gaping open. "Impossible! How did you get _behind_ me?!"

Yusuke ground his teeth and pulled his fist back for a punch. "Turns out that pond has a channel at the bottom! It connects to the bog I fell in while fighting Kaze-Maru!" _I'm on my last ounce of strength!_ And it's all going into this! Yusuke delivered a solid punch straight across Rando's cheek, knocking the demon off his feet and flying back into the pond with a large splash.

The exhausted teen braced himself on his knees, his entire body quivered from overexertion. "Hurf… That's it, everything I had… Can't even… raise my arms…" He watched the water ripple for what felt like hours. _Please don't surface… stay down there…_

Eventually, an air bubble popped. A clawed hand grasped the muddy grass from the edge of the pool. It was followed by an intense glare that exuded bloodlust and killing intent. Rando climbed his way out of the bog, dripping wet and unfazed, if not irate.

Yusuke grimaced at his wasted effort. "Nuts…!"

Rando smiled, but it did not reach his predatory eyes. "That one… did _sting_ a bit." He immediately landed a straight punch to Yusuke's cheek, knocking him to the ground, splayed out on his back.

Yusuke grunted in pain, unable to even twitch a finger. His eyes were shut tight, clenching his teeth to distract from the pain that shot through his body. "Fine… I'm through… Get it over with…"

Rando smirked, satisfied with the condition of his victim. "Looks like you're truly used up now. I'll give the shrinking curse another whirl. Practice makes perfect, and all that."

Yusuke struggled to open his eyes, his vision blurred out of focus. The earth underneath began to tilt and sound was distorted as if underwater. _…My head's spinning… Don't understand a word he's sayin'…_

"I'll recite the incantation, and then… the _final_ bit of _fun!_ Heh heh." Rando began to chant in the ancient tongue, his hands clasped in front of him with his index fingers pointing upwards and his thumbs toward his chest. He directed the spell towards Yusuke's immobile body until the chant was complete.

"Heh heh… It's done." Rando lowered his arms triumphantly as he waited for the curse to kick in. Eager to physically break his opponent, he lifted his hand in anticipation. " _Shrink away, kid!_ Now, how to _finish_ you? Perhaps I'll _crush_ every bone in your body, and then _squash_ you like a _bug!_ "

Rando felt the grass rustle beneath his feet. Glancing down in confusion, he took notice of what was happening. " _Ah! What?!_ "

He looked up and noticed that Yusuke was getting bigger. But that could only mean… "N-no… How's it _possible?!_ The curse shrank _me!_ " Rando continued to shrink until he was no bigger than a fist.

Yusuke struggled to lift his head, confused about what was taking so long.

"What in the world…?!" Botan couldn't believe her eyes!

"You've become too reliant on your spells, Rando." Botan snapped her attention to the old hermit, as she continued on as if scolding a student. "Curses are not docile servants. Make the slightest error in their conjuring, and they'll turn on you. You summoned this one too often, without adequate focus."

Rando gaped at his hand, appalled that he had made such a rookie mistake. "I… _failed?!_ Impossible! I _performed_ the incantation _perfectly!_ "

"But the victim must _hear_ it," Genkai countered. "The curse enters the victim's body through the auditory nerve, which means it can only work on the unwary or the defenseless. Countering it amounts to no more than covering one's ears. It's a serious drawback."

"What?" Rando was dumbfounded, unaware of the simple counter. "But… but _he_ didn't know that!"

Yusuke sat up, slapping the side of his head, emptying out the water from his ears. When he cleaned out his ears, he picked out a green slime. "Yuck! _Algae_ clogging my ears! No wonder everything was muffled." The turn of events left Rando speechless.

Genkai continued to lecture the demon, not surprised by the outcome. "A demon like you who acquires secrets by stealing instead of studying is eventually brought up _short_ by his _ignorance._ You lose!"

"I have _not_ lost!" Rando rushed to get into stance in defiance. "All I have to do is _reverse_ the curse and…

"Uh…" Rando looked up in terror.

Yusuke towered over him, wobbling on his feet and grinning down at the tiny demon. "Heh heh… You figure I'll just hang loose until you _finish_ your spell? True, I barely have the strength to stand…" The worn teen began to tilt his body forward, letting gravity take over. "…But _falling_ will be a cinch!"

" _Aaaah!_ " Rando froze, screaming as he watched Yusuke raise his arm.

" _Elbow Drop!_ " Yusuke landed his elbow straight down on Rando's face, and pressing him into the mud.

Rando bled from his eyes, nose, and mouth as he laid sprawled out and unconscious. Yusuke rolled over and sprawled out next to the small criminal, ready to pass out. "And collapsing… even simpler… Man… Can barely… raise my eyelids…

"Well, old woman?" Yusuke gazed up at Genkai and managed a pitiful grin. "May not be much left of me, but _I won._ "

"Mm!" Genkai gazed down at him, looking bored and uncaring. " _Urameshi Yusuke is the successor!_ "

"Yay!" Botan cheered in triumph.

A slow clap alerted everyone to an approaching hooded figure standing to the edge of the field, next to a dead tree.

"What the…?" Yusuke struggled to lift his head from the ground.

Botan glanced down at her demon compass and, while it wasn't giving off a strong reading, it was certainly pointing towards the stranger. "It's another demon…"

"Ngh…" Yusuke groaned. "Damn it all…"

"No need to worry about that one." Koenma's agents both gave their attention to the old woman. "She's harmless and isn't even powerful enough to scare a fly."

"That's rather harsh, Master. I'm not completely useless." The face under the cowl was slightly muffled, but it was definitely feminine.

Botan tried to peer under the hood, but could only see shadows. She became just a tad unnerved about not seeing a face. "A-and uh… who might… you be…?"

"Enough with the theatrics, Sayomi. If this sorry excuse is who you're looking for, you might as well introduce yourself properly." Botan looked at Genkai, curious by what she said.

"Oh, alright." Two slender arms raised from the folds of black fabric, grasping the hood and lowering it from her head. A young-looking girl stood at five feet even in a black cloak that opened in the middle, revealing a purple top and black cargo pants, with a string to tie it together. She didn't wear shoes, so her feet were wet and muddy from the field. She wore her black hair cut short in the back, while the sides wisped down to her chin. Her bangs swept to the left, partially hanging in her storm gray eyes.

"Hello, my name is Sayomi. Pleased to meet you." She bowed respectively to her audience.

"Sayomi is a shadow demon." Genkai took over the long part of the explanation, cutting it down to the barest necessities. "She was sent to find a certain strong human with a natural talent for fighting. I believe it's safe to say this dimwit is who she was looking for."

Sayomi nodded, her arms crossed, as she watched the worn out teenager on his back. _If he was able to defeat a demon like_ Rando, _then he has to be the one. I got lucky. But, now what?_ She made her way towards Yusuke, and the detective managed to get a decent look at her.

"Hello…" Yusuke smiled up at the new girl, glad that she wasn't another enemy. "I'm the Great… Yusuke Urameshi… Demon Hunter extraordinaire… Sorry if he was a buddy of yours…"

Sayomi grinned and kneeled beside the boy. "Nah, I'm glad you beat him. Now I won't have to deal with him." She extended her arms over his body and a dark light began to emit from her palms. They spread over Yusuke like a cool wave, cleansing his cuts and bruises and soothing his sore muscles. The swelling in his face began to go down and he was able to open his eyes completely. By the time the dark energy receded, the boy was almost as good as new.

Yusuke sat up, blinking and flexing his muscles. He smiled at Sayomi and said, "So you're a healer, huh? That's neat. You could be a useful partner in this whole Underworld business."

Sayomi hesitated a moment, thinking about her mission. "What do you mean?"

Yusuke gestured towards Botan, who had picked up Rando, with a nod of his head. "Helping me with this Underworld Detective business. I doubt I would last long if I had to face off with more monsters like him. I just barely survived this round."

Sayomi bit her lip, a small fang protruding from the top. _I'm supposed to take him back to Demon World, but I'm also supposed to monitor his growth until he's ready. Is it a good idea to get mixed in with the Underworld? They don't particularly like demons to begin with. But I can't just abandon the mission either, especially now that I've found him…_

"…Mi. Earth to Sayomi!"

Sayomi snapped back into attention, a hand waving inches from her face. "I'm sorry, what?"

Yusuke smiled and said, "I said, would you like to help me? I figure, since you're a demon, you could help me understand more about what I'm up against."

Sayomi looked from Yusuke to the grim reaper behind him. Said reaper smiled and waved nervously, possibly put off by her very presence. When she turned back to Yusuke, his eyes were not judgmental. She felt a sense of acceptance that only few others had shown her. She smiled and nodded. "Okay, I'll help you."

Yusuke jumped to his feet and cheered. "All right!"

"I'll pop Rando into a safe or something and take him to jail." Botan was holding the criminal by his hair with just her thumb and index finger, as if disgusted by having to touch him at all.

Yusuke crossed his arms and laughed. "Ha! Tied up in his own web, I see!"

"Kuwabara will be okay. The Master's mended his broken bones." Botan smiled brightly, as if the tragedy had never happened at all.

"That's what my techniques are really for – healing, not harm."

"Awright, _mission accomplished!_ " Yusuke cheered, pumping his fists in glee. "Now I'm off to the Championships at Tokyo Dome!"

"Still haven't had your fill of _combat_ yet?" Botan leered at Yusuke, like a mother scolding her son.

Sayomi blinked in misconception by the detective's sudden burst of energy. "What's a Tokyo Dome?"

"Whoa, Sonny." Genkai interrupted Yusuke's cheers. "What are you babbling about?"

"Huh?" Said teen looked down at the old woman, confused.

"This was about finding my successor, that's _you_ , Yusuke! You're going to learn the basics of Reiki. So you'll be _staying_ here to train!"

Sayomi glanced at Yusuke, feeling sorry for her charge. He didn't know what he was in for. If he thought Rando was tough, he would not enjoy his stay at the Master's temple.

"Y'mean…" Yusuke cringed at the very concept. "…I actually have to _study?!_ " His voice echoed in the mountains as the sun began to set.


	6. Chapter 6

"So then, I shot the mirror with my Rei Gun, and got him from behind! He didn't even _see_ it coming!"

Sayomi smiled as she walked next to her charge, Yusuke, with her hands in her pants pockets. He was telling her the story about his first big case with the stolen artifacts that he had only a week to retrieve. The shadow demon couldn't help feeling proud of the boy for being able to handle himself against such enemies. _He will make an excellent king once he's ready._

"Have you always had such power to fight demons?" She didn't get the chance to have a proper conversation with the boy since he was undergoing the Master's training. Even while he slept, he was forced to train.

"Nah," Yusuke answered. He was covered in dirt and bruises from their trek down the mountain. He was wearing his torn white shirt from the tournament and torn blue jeans. His bag of clothes was slung over his left shoulder. "I didn't get that until _after_ I died."

Sayomi froze mid-stride, taken off guard by his statement. "I'm sorry, did you just say you… died?"

Yusuke walked a few steps ahead before stopping to face her. "Oh yeah. I was hit by a car, then brought back to life."

Sayomi blinked in confusion. _How could he say such a thing so casually? And_ how _did he even come_ back? "You died and came back to life… _how?_ "

Yusuke smirked and turned to keep walking. Sayomi jogged to catch up. "Well, it's a long story, but basically what happened was this kid was playing ball near the street. There was a lot of traffic at that time and I tried to warn the kid about getting hit by cars."

Sayomi listened, struggling to understand the scenario Yusuke was describing for her, but there were certain words he used, such as 'car' and 'school,' that escaped her field of understanding. She tried and was able to grasp the basic story.

"So, let me see if I have this right. You died saving a kid, met the reaper and Koenma, who offered you a trial of virtue, which was used up in a fire to save your friend, and he still let you come back due to your strange energy wavelengths. Is that about it?" There was more to it of course. He mentioned a young boy who was struggling to overcome his dog's death and bullying at school, a lonely girl who tried to drag the same boy's spirit with her to the afterlife, and his childhood friend who wanted to win a boxing match. _He certainly has a kind heart despite the bravado he puts on. And he seems to have a soft spot for kids._

"Yeah, that's the main point, I guess."

By the time Yusuke had finished his story, they were making their way into town. Yusuke pointed out cars and buildings, explaining their basic purpose. Sayomi watched the cars as they sped down the roads. _If he could survive impact from such a solid machine, what else is he capable of?_ _I understand he's the heir to the throne, but he's still_ human _, right? I can't detect a single_ drop _of demonic energy from him. How long has it been since Raizen's last visit to the Human World again?_

"Oh!"

"Hm?" Yusuke and Sayomi looked up when they heard a new voice.

" _Yusuke!_ " Sayomi looked at the girl who seemed to know the detective. She was a young girl who looked to be the same age as Yusuke. Her brown hair was cut at shoulder length and her round brown eyes shown with surprise and delight. She wore a blue sailor top and knee-length skirt, accented with a yellow ascot. Her feet were donned with white socks that reached mid-shin and brown loafers. A rectangular brown bag dangled in her hands.

"Yo, Keiko. What's up?" Yusuke smiled at his childhood friend. He was glad to see a familiar face after being stuck in near isolation.

Sayomi glanced over at Yusuke, curious. _So, I wonder just how close they_ really _are. Judging by their smiles…_ Sayomi stood just behind Yusuke as the two of them caught up, watching them interact quietly. _…They seem to know each other well enough. I wonder…_

"Oh, I'm sorry. Who are you?"

Sayomi snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Keiko. "Hm? You mean _me?_ " Sayomi pointed at herself, as if surprised that the girl even knew she was there.

Keiko smiled and tried to suppress a giggle. "Who else would I mean?"

Sayomi rubbed the back of her head nervously. "I'm Sayomi. I was training with Yusuke in the mountains." Yusuke had made it clear that the only people who knew about the Underworld and demons were the Master and the other human from the tournament, Kuwabara. _I suppose telling her I'm a shadow demon would blow his cover._

"It's nice to meet you, Sayomi. Atsuko mentioned there was another person he was studying with. My name is Keiko Yukimura. I'm an old friend of this doofus. Sorry if he gave you a hard time."

"This _doofus_ is standing right _here_." Yusuke growled in the background grinding his teeth, annoyed with Keiko's scolding already.

Sayomi could only watch as Keiko snapped a glare towards the delinquent, her voice dropping to a cold tone. "You've been gone _two weeks_ and the only thing your mom has been able to tell me is you've been training at a mountain." Yusuke's countenance shifted from annoyed to guilty as he tried to avoid Keiko's gaze. Sayomi watched on, curious about her effect on him. "Do you have any idea how _worried_ we've been about you? What if something happened? _Again?!_ "

"Whoah, Keiko. Don't cry! I'm _okay!_ " Yusuke frantically tried to calm her down. Apparently this was a common ritual between them.

"I'm _not_ crying, you _jerk!_ " She raised her hand high and smacked the boy across the face, knocking him to the concrete. With a huff, she turned away and began to walk home. "I left your homework with Atsuko." With an abrupt shift in mood, Keiko smiled at Sayomi. "It was nice meeting you, Sayomi! I hope we can be friends!"

Sayomi waved at the retreating girl before turning her gaze to Yusuke's crumpled form. "Are human girls the dominant gender in the Human World?"

Yusuke groaned as he sat up and rubbed at his bright red cheek. "They are when their name is Keiko."

"So your arm's okay now?"

"Good as new. And my muscles are in better shape than ever."

Sayomi and Yusuke had made a quick stop by Yusuke's house so he could drop off his stuff and get a proper shower. After a brief introduction to his mother, Atsuko, they left to meet up with Yusuke's rival and classmate, Kuwabara. They were walking downtown, catching up since their encounter with Rando.

"The doctors were amazed. Guess that's what Reiki can do for ya." Kuwabara held up his fist in triumph. "Care for a personal demonstration?"

Yusuke chuckled at his friend's persistence. "Man, wouldn't want you to get messed up again."

Sayomi thought back to the fight with Rando. While she hadn't been out in the open, she was certainly there. Before the tournament started, Genkai had told her to wait in the temple until the successor had been selected. When Genkai had finally arrived, she had noticed several people with her, Yusuke and Kuwabara among them. She watched them all fight, then shadowed them throughout the rest of the tournament. For Sayomi, it was child's play to blend with shadows and even merge with someone else's shadow. If she was quiet enough, she could easily maneuver from one shadow host to another. With the constant fighting, it wasn't too hard to switch whenever shadows connected.

Kuwabara was definitely strong for a human, but he was no match for the psychic hunter. His mangled body was too far out of her healing capabilities, so she settled for helping Yusuke once he had won the tournament. Thankfully, the Master was an astute healer and mended him with little to no effort. Sayomi only hoped her skills could be so great.

"So how'd your training with the Master go? You don't look any different."

Yusuke's face paled at the memories. "It was no picnic, let me tell you."

Sayomi smiled. His training had been somewhat amusing, considering she had other training to deal with herself. She was allowed to train with them, however. The Master had claimed it would help her concentration to tune out his so-called whining and build her own stamina with her energy.

" _Concentrate your aura into one point." Genkai and Yusuke were balancing on a single needle point with one finger, using their aura to center themselves. "Remain in this position for 12 hours!"_

" _You_ can't _be_ serious! _" Yusuke trembled as he forced his aura to his finger, wasting energy rather than preserving it. In comparison, Genkai kept her energy to a small glow at the point where her finger met the needle._

 _Sayomi had been balancing next to Yusuke. She struggled alongside him, but her energy didn't flare up as wildly as his. Her struggle was due to lack of physical arm strength. While she prided herself on her legs and abdominals, her arms were never her strongest muscle group._

" _This exercise teaches defense against Reiki attack. If you give an inch, you die." Genkai had Yusuke positioned with his hands straight out with his palms open to block. His knees bent to brace himself against the force of an attack. The Master herself stood just in front of him with her palm facing Yusuke._

" _Hah!"_

 _A bright flash burst from the Master's palm, breaking through Yusuke's defense. The force knocked him from his feet and to the ground a few meters away, unconscious from the impact._

" _We'll keep at it until you can stand against any such assault." Genkai proceeded to repeat the lesson, not caring about the boy's condition._

 _Sayomi had spent this lesson harnessing her own energy into a shield. She had managed to progress to covering her hands entirely with shadows. The idea was to learn to protect more than just herself. While she could easily escape harm by becoming a shadow herself, if she was going to accompany Yusuke, she would need to be able to protect him as well._

"…And I meditated on top of _burning coals_ , and slept on a _bed of nails._ " Yusuke proceeded to count, on his fingers, all the things the Master had him do.

"Shee… Enough already." Kuwabara grimaced. "Makes me cringe just _hearing_ about it."

"Yeah, and Sayomi only dealt with _half_ of that stuff. The old hag had her doing some other crazy stuff too."

Kuwabara looked down at the small girl next to Yusuke. He vaguely remembered her, but his memory was fuzzy after Yusuke was declared the winner. "What were _you_ doing with Master Genkai, anyway?"

Sayomi looked to the sky in thought. "Hmmm…"

Kuwabara grumbled to himself as she continued to ignore his question. "You're lucky you're a girl…"

"Still, I learned some cool stuff." Yusuke took charge of the conversation again. He had grown accustomed to Sayomi's secretive habits.

Curiosity peaked, Kuwabara switched his attention to his rival. "Anything you can show me?"

"Hey…" Yusuke muttered.

"Hm?" Kuwabara and Sayomi shifted their eyes to the detective, noting the shift in his tone.

"We're being followed." Sayomi and the boys turned to check their six, sighting a group of five pale teenage boys in matching uniforms.

"Never seen 'em before. Wanna take 'em on?" Yusuke turned back to look at Kuwabara.

"Sure, I got nothin' better to do. Might be fun." Kuwabara smirked, looking forward to a classic street brawl.

"Hopefully you won't end up crippled again. The Master isn't with us this time." Sayomi casually walked beside Yusuke, eyes watching the clouds carelessly.

Kuwabara growled at the girl's insult. "Watch it, girlie. That was only because that guy wasn't human. These guys don't give me the same feeling as the last guy."

"Maybe not, but there is something off about them…" Sayomi shifted so her cloak closed in front. _Better safe than sorry._

Once a suitable area was found in an empty construction zone, Yusuke, Kuwabara and Sayomi turned to their stalkers. Kuwabara was the first to begin the taunting. "You guys know who yer comin' up against?" He jerked his thumb at his chest and gave a smug grin. "I'm Kuwabara, the _Big Muscle_ at Sara Jr. High."

Yusuke scoffed with a Cheshire's smirk. "Yeah, you wish."

Sayomi crossed her arms beneath her cloak, shaking her head in shame. _He's gonna be even more of a handful than Yusuke. I shouldn't even have to deal with other humans to begin with. Raizen's gonna owe me for this one._

Sayomi and the boys gasped when the thugs pulled out hidden knives. Sayomi reached behind her back while the boys froze in shock. Kuwabara broke into a nervous sweat. "Aw, man, they're _whacked out!_ They're pullin' _shivs_ already!"

"Kuh-kuh-kill!" The humans became more rabid, drooling at the mouth while their eyes focused on nothing. "Kill, kill, kill, kill, _killlllsssssggraarrr!_

" _Graaugh!_ " A thug lunged for the boys, but they managed to dodge away.

Sayomi pulled out her _kusarigama_ and used the chain the pull the human's stabbing arm forward. The human fell forward but staggered to his feet unharmed. As the gang cornered Sayomi's companions, threatening death like brainless zombies, Yusuke was shaken by their senselessness.

"Cripes! Never _seen_ a bunch of guys this out of it!" Yusuke clenched his teeth as the ring of zombie-like humans growled and snickered.

At once, the humans charged. " _Die, die, die!_ "

"Can't mess around, then." Sayomi glanced at Yusuke and made sure she was standing behind him. He had lowered his stance into a squat, his left arm bracing his right as he clenched his fist. His fist glowed as his aura charged and condensed.

"Yeow!" Kuwabara stared in awe at Yusuke's build up. "His fist's _glowing!_ "

Sayomi grabbed Kuwabara's sleeve, pulling him out of the way. "Better stay out of range. Even _you_ wouldn't be able to swing at _this_ attack."

Yusuke pulled his charged fist back, nearly blinding with light. "I'll put ya down easy! _Raah!_ "

With a quick punch towards his opponents, Yusuke released multiple spirit bullets at once. The crazed students were each struck and knocked off their feet, unconscious.

"Wow!" Kuwabara gaped at the barrage of bullets that his rival was able to project. "You mowed 'em down without laying a hand on 'em! Like you had a _machine gun!_ "

Yusuke remained in his stance, allowing his fist to emit what was left of his energy. "Just basic Reiki technique."

"He literally just nailed it yesterday."

Yusuke glared down at the short demon, clenching his fist tighter. "Shut up, Sai! It's not as easy as it looks!"

"Of course not. It's at _least_ a whole level higher than when you started. And you're not passed out on the floor." Sayomi smiled sweetly at the growling detective. "It seems you really are getting stronger by the day. Good job."

Yusuke's growl faltered at the unexpected praise. "Uh... Thank you?" He returned his attention to the unconscious students. "So who _are_ these jokers?"

"No idea…" Kuwabara was checking to see if he recognized any of them when a sudden chill ran down his spine. " _Wait_ a sec!"

Yusuke and Sayomi paused to wait for Kuwabara's analysis. He expanded his senses, feeling for the odd spike that caught his attention. "I sense a weird aura, not no-how _human_ …" As he scanned his surroundings, he spotted a figure in a brown trench coat lurking around a warehouse corner. He pointed at the figure accusingly, startling it. "Over there! _That_ guy! _Freeze, buster!_ "

The trio chased down the stalker, until a metal bat came from around another corner. The bat was level with the creature's face, successfully bonking him off his feet. He was splayed out on his back, with his eyes open with shock. His nose bled from the impact and there was a red mark across his face. The demon was bald with green spotted skin and clawed hands. They stopped chasing, hesitant about the mystery bat-wielding assailant.

"Hah! Hit a _perfect grounder_ that time." Botan stepped around the corner, dressed in casual human clothing. She was fashioning a white sleeveless top tucked into form hugging jeans. White flats coupled with a black belt completed her ensemble. She clutched the dented metal bat in her left hand.

"Botan!" Yusuke exclaimed.

Kuwabara watched her silently, aware of her weapon. _Her again! Cute… but dangerous!_

Sayomi hung back behind the boys, aware of the grim reaper's discomfort. _Best to lay low and avoid too much attention._

"You _know_ this weirdo?" Yusuke was quick to interrogate his assistant.

"Yep." Botan focused her attention on the detective, forgetting Sayomi and Kuwabara altogether. "He's a resident of _Demon City._ Which, as it happens, is the _subject_ of your new mission."

"Demon City?"

"It's a haven for Otherworld outlaws. A group of demons known as 'The Four Beasts' founded a criminal organization that hid out there. Soon other fugitive felons fled to it, turning it into an impenetrable city of criminals. They're now issuing demands to the Underworld."

"Demands?" Yusuke became tense as he urged for more information. "Such as…?"

"Access to the _Human_ World!"

Yusuke and Kuwabara stiffened, uncomfortable with the possibility. Sayomi noted their reactions. _I suppose it would be bad for criminals to take over. It's rather peaceful here compared to over there._ She glanced at Yusuke's back as he crossed his arms in defiance. _And if he can handle_ Rando, _then he might stand a chance. But there are four of them…_ Sayomi drifted into her thoughts as Botan continued with her briefing.

"The Underworld set up a force field between Demon City and the Human World to prevent such access. But demons want it taken down."

"Who cares what they want?" Sayomi snapped out of her thoughts at Yusuke's retort. "Ignore 'em!"

"It's not that simple. See that guy who attacked you?" Botan pointed down at one of the unconscious students.

"Hm?" Yusuke followed her finger to the thug. He no longer had pale skin. A moment later, a strange bug crawled from the teenager's mouth. The group cringed in disgust by the glowing, green bug.

Sayomi narrowed her eyes, annoyed more than anything. While she had no knowledge of this specific species, she was familiar enough with demon insects and she did _not_ like them. She crouched next to the boy and caught the bug as it began to expand its wings. Kuwabara turned green as she squeezed the insect before dropping it to the ground and smearing it with her bare foot.

"Bleah!" Yusuke cringed at the alien insect. "That creepo bug _crawled_ out of his _mouth…_ "

"It's _a roundworm monster_ \- a parasite drawn to dank, gloomy souls." Botan delved into a brief explanation of the bugs. "The people they infest are driven to violence, destruction, and murder. The Four Beasts released _thousands_ of them into this city."

"What?!" Yusuke turned to Botan in a panic. "We've gotta _warn_ everyone!"

"Pointless, I'm afraid." Botan held up her index finger like an instructor. "Normal people can't see the worms and those infested just seem psycho. The only course is to _exterminate_ the worms! And that means destroying the _enabling whistle_."

"A… Whistle?"

"Yes. Normally the worms can't survive in the Human World, but this whistle enables them to do so. The Four Beasts say they'll hand over the whistle if we take down the force field, but that's out of the question."

"What do you mean?"

"If unleashed, the demons could _kill everyone_ here in a _day!_ "

Yusuke glared at Botan, annoyed and already aware of what was coming. "Okay, then the only way is to…"

"Exactly!" Botan grinned nervously, exclaiming the obviously dangerous solution. "We must take the whistle and _destroy_ it!"

Yusuke glared and pointed at himself angrily. "'We' meaning _me_ , right? I have to jump into that nest of demon vermin by _myself?!_ "

"So what am I, snake spit?" Kuwabara stood by with his arms crossed, reminding them of his presence.

"Huh?" Botan gulped, her slip finally catching up with her. "Ohmigod! Kuwabara, you were _listening?!_ " She immediately retreated and laughed hysterically at her blunder.

"Like I could _help_ it?" Kuwabara stood his ground and addressed both Yusuke and Botan confidently. "Anyway, I can see these worms, too, so I figure I'm in this. We _grab_ this whistle thing, or this town will wind up _crawlin'_ with crazed dudes, right?"

"I'm coming, too." The boys turned to the Shadow demon in their company. "You're gonna need a healer if you're going to Demon City. I may not be much help in a fight, but I can at least keep you from dying again."

Yusuke scratched his head nervously. "Damn, I forgot you were here, too. You're too quiet."

Sayomi smirked and stuffed her hands into her pockets. "I _am_ a _Shadow_ demon. Stealth is a natural specialty of mine."

Yusuke smirked and ruffled her hair. "Right. Kuwabara's gonna need your services, no doubt."

"What's that supposed to mean, punk?" Kuwabara stepped into Yusuke's face, twisting his face into forced intimidation.

Yusuke glared back and pushed back. "Exactly what it sounds like, Dum-dum!"

Botan sighed as the teens broke into a scuffle in the alley. "I hope you can take care of them."

Sayomi watched Yusuke pull Kuwabara into an arm bar and laughed. "You can trust me. I won't let anything happen to Yusuke. I'll give my life before that happens."

Botan glanced down at the shorter girl and smiled. "I think I like you, Sayomi. We'll have to have a proper introduction over a cup of tea."

Sayomi glanced at Botan nervously. "That doesn't sound too bad, I suppose." _So much for laying low._

TWO HOURS LATER

"So that's their hideout." Yusuke stood on a low hanging branch in Demon World. The air was humid and the tree itself was covered in moss and seemed to droop and twist on itself. He had his hand shading his eyes as he gazed at the ominous castle ahead. Sayomi stood to his left, wrapped in her cloak with her hood up. Kuwabara stood to her left with his hands in his pockets as he balanced on the branch and the sloping trunk.

The castle itself was made of stone. Chambers and stairwells protruded from the main tower at random points along the outer walls. At the top of the main base were two towers: one small side tower and one main tower that continued to ascend to a round chamber at the top. Both towers had lightning rods that would attract the occasional strike from the looming storm clouds. A forest separated the castle from a sandy village that was most likely Demon City. The castle had to be the Four Beasts' lair.

"You sure you wanna come? You may not get away with just a few broken bones this time and I don't think Sayomi can revive the dead." Yusuke was leading the group towards the city, picking on Kuwabara to pass the time.

"I'm not leaving it up to _you_ to save our town _and_ protect Sayomi. She needs a _real_ man to protect her." Kuwabara followed close behind Yusuke, their feet squelching through the muddy grass.

"I can protect myself just fine, thanks. Although I do worry about _you_ , Yusuke. I would hate to explain your injuries to _Keiko._ " Sayomi was quick to tease her charge about his own interest.

Yusuke flinched and Kuwabara guffawed at his rival's expense. The detective grabbed Kuwabara's shirt when they heard a strange laugh.

"Hee hee hee."

Sayomi and the boys instantly ceased their bantering and took note of their surroundings. They were surrounded by short, cloaked humanoids with claws and glowing red eyes. Their mouths exposed chipped and jagged grins. The trio huddled back-to-back as the demons closed in.

"Fragrant."

"Humans. Hee hee. Fragrant humans."

Sayomi clicked her tongue and glared at their predicament. "Well this is just dandy. We ran into the lowest imps on the food chain."

"What the hell _are_ they?" Yusuke glared at the cloaked demons.

Sayomi reached for the scythe behind her back, waiting for them to strike. "They're known as gutter imps because they usually only get to eat whatever rotting meat they can find. Human flesh just so happens to be a special treat for them."

"Are you for real?!" Kuwabara looked down at Sayomi in disgust.

"A feast! A feast!"

"Hee hee hee! Let's eat!"

The imps charged all at once. Their claws scraped and tore at Sayomi's cloak while teeth gnashed at her limbs. She growled and elbowed the imp behind her before punching the one clinging to her arm.

" _Scumballs!_ " Yusuke was punching his way through the imps that had ganged up on him.

"They keep _coming!_ " Kuwabara was busy fending off his own army of cannibals.

Soon, Sayomi found herself back-to-back-to-back with Yusuke and Kuwabara. They were surrounded by the increasing number of demons. Sayomi glared at the gutter trash and growled low in her throat, baring her fangs threateningly. _How do we expect to take the Four Beasts if we can't even handle the_ lowest _ranking demons? Is the Underworld trying to_ kill _them?_

"They're like ants! Too _many_ of 'em!" Yusuke braced himself as the horde continued to grow.

"They'll _overwhelm_ us!" Kuwabara shouted in panic.

"Hey! If you're having trouble with these _lowlifes,_ how do you expect to _tackle the castle?_ "

The imps turned their attention to the new voice. Yusuke and Kuwabara followed their example, forgetting their predicament. Sayomi held her ground until she heard bodies hitting the floor with cries of pain. She pulled down her hood to get a better view of the newcomers.

Two cloaked figures were dashing through the horde, slicing and tearing through the imps like nothing. Soon, they were surrounded by small corpses when the two strangers stopped in front of the group. "The three of you alone wouldn't get very far anyway."

Sayomi bristled at the insult but took deep breaths to calm herself. It would be bad to make enemies out of potential allies.

"Care for some help?" The figures shed their dirty cloaks to reveal two young males. The one who spoke had long, vibrant red hair with calculating green eyes. He wore an outfit similar to Yusuke's and Kuwabara's, but it was pink with a vertical yellow stripe that lined the buttons down the front of his shirt. The other figure was shorter with spikey black hair with white strands sprouting from the middle. His eyes were a piercing blood-red that glared at everything. He wore a simple black cloak with a white shawl and black boots.

" _Where'd you come from?!_ "

Sayomi glanced at Yusuke in suspicion. _He knows these two?_

"Who the heck…?" Kuwabara seemed just as confused.

" _Kurama and… Hiei?!_ What're _you two_ doing here?!" Yusuke, although surprised, seemed genuinely happy to see them.

Sayomi, however, realized she knew exactly who these people were. Kurama was said to be Demon World's most notorious thief to ever live. Yet, his scent was distinctly human. How had he managed that? _There were stories that he was killed by a hunter, so could he be an imposter?_ Hiei was also a thief, known for being brutal and killing anyone who got in his way. _And what is_ he _doing here? Don't tell me Yusuke was able to defeat these two in battle. He barely survived Rando!_

"Heh… Community service in lieu of jail time, you might say." Kurama spoke calmly with his hands in his pockets. His friendly smile seemed to make him the more reasonable one. "We might even earn _pardons_ if we help you three out."

Yusuke beamed at the news. "Good ol' Koenma, unpredictable as ever!" He proceeded to extend his hand in greeting. "Kuwabara, Sayomi, allow me to introduce Hiei and Kurama."

"Yo," Kuwabara greeted.

"Hi." Kurama politely responded.

Sayomi simply nodded her greeting before shifting her eyes to Hiei, waiting for his response.

"You've got Kurama's angle, but here's mine: I'm out to snatch the treasures and weapons the Four Beasts beat me to. So don't expect any help from me, got it?"

Sayomi's eyes narrowed. _Of course. The killer of the group is only looking out for himself. Not surprising since he's a wanted criminal who's being forced into this against his will. As long as he isn't a threat to Yusuke, I don't care if he helps or not._

"Heh." Sayomi glanced at Kurama, quirking an eyebrow.

"What's with the shrimp?" Kuwabara was the first to call out the short demon. Sayomi smirked to herself, noting she was just a little taller than Hiei, if only by an inch or two. "He's coppin' a pretty high and mighty _attitude!_ "

Hiei looked up at the teen with bored eyes. "Does a _death wish_ cause you to speak that way to me?"

Kuwabara brought himself down to Hiei's level with a thuggish intimidation tactic. "You don't _like it,_ runt? _Tough toenails!_ "

Sayomi felt her eyebrow twitch at the lame insult. _I hope not all humans are this dull._

Kurama turned his attention to his crime partner in a reproving manner. While his smile was pleasant, his eyes belied something more. "Stop it, Hiei. We can squabble after this is finished."

"Yusuke." Hiei turned his attention to the detective and Sayomi's shadow began to shift. "I still have a _score_ to settle with you."

Kuwabara strained his face in irritation, trying to remind the thief of his existence. "Don't forget _me,_ short-stuff!"

Hiei continued, ignoring the human completely. "I'll warn you once: Watch your back."

Sayomi stepped in front of her charge, blocking him from the potential threat. "You would have to get through me first."

Hiei scoffed and faced her completely. "You're not even worth the effort. If you couldn't protect him from this filth," he gestured to the corpses. "How do you expect to stand a chance in hell against me?"

Sayomi growled and was about to retort when Yusuke placed a hand on her shoulder, holding her back. "Yeah, whatever. Frankly, I'll take _any allies_ I can _get._ "

Kuwabara and Hiei glared at each other. Kurama simply smiled at his companions. Sayomi glared daggers at Hiei.

"Oh pizzle, it's _Hiei_ and _Kurama_."

The remaining imps trembled under their rags nervously. "They're on the Underworld's _most_ wanted list, yet they're siding with _humans…?_ "

They scuttled out of the way as Yusuke and Kuwabara lead the way to the castle. Hiei and Kurama trailed behind them while Sayomi shadowed the whole group. Everyone walked calmly with their hands in their pockets, ignoring the weak underlings.

As they progressed forward, Sayomi watched the thieves in front of her. She had remembered legends of the famous Youko Kurama, the leader of a band of thieves for over a thousand years. He was supposed to be dead. Not to mention he was certainly a demon. The red-head in front of her certainly didn't smell like a demon, but the fact he was able to move the way he did gave her enough reason to watch him. He also seemed to be the more intelligent and reasonable of the two. Sayomi made notes to stay on his good side. If he _was_ the legendary bandit, it would be a smart move to not bring out that side of him.

Hiei, on the other hand, was not as much intriguing as he was intimidating. Despite his short stature, he seemed to carry himself as though he was better than everyone else. Or perhaps just those weaker than him. While he had talked down on her and Kuwabara, he seemed to hold some acknowledgement and respect for Yusuke and Kurama. She didn't know what kind of demon he was, or how he even fought, but his very name was enough to make her wonder. _Flying shadow. Is that really his name, or just a title? He couldn't be a shadow demon, could he?_ Whether he was or wasn't, she couldn't let her guard down around him. Yusuke may have defeated him once, but there was no telling what he could do if given the right opportunity.

"That's some _entrance!_ " Sayomi stopped with the group, Yusuke's voice snapping her out of her thoughts.

"A long, dark tunnel. Brrr." Kuwabara scoffed at the gateway.

At the base of the castle wall was indeed a tunnel. However, this tunnel resembled the maw of a demon. Three stone-clawed toes rested to either side, like a crouching predator. A row of stone teeth lined the topmost part of the opening. Two matching slits in the castle wall represented the beast's nose while two gaping, dark holes resembled eye sockets. Vines crept from the base and reached the eyes, as if the beast was crying. Sayomi searched the tunnel for any heat signatures, but all she could see were deep blues and black.

Yusuke gritted his teeth and glared at the doorway. "Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained! Let's go, guys!"

Sayomi sighed to herself quietly. _He has no clue what he's walking into._

The group followed behind Yusuke as he walked ahead with confidence. Kuwabara was looking around the tunnel, expecting something to jump out at him. Kurama and Hiei walked calmly, but they seemed to be listening rather than looking for anything suspicious. All Sayomi could hear was their own footsteps. The stone floor felt cold and damp against her feet so she walked on the balls of her feet to minimize sound and having to touch the floor as much. She fought the urge to blend into the shadows around her. _Not until I know what they can do first._

As they were nearing the end of the tunnel, everyone froze at the sound of fluttering wings. At the end of the tunnel was a small bat-like demon. Or rather, a single, giant eyeball with bat wings and what looked like nerve endings hanging from below.

"Welcome to _Labyrinth Castle._ " Sayomi felt the voice echo in her head and shivered. Telepathy never felt pleasant. If anything, it made her feel exposed, like shedding light on her darkest thoughts and memories. "Those who dare to enter will be _tried_ at the _Gate of Betrayal._ "

" _Tried?!_ " Yusuke glared and clenched his fist angrily. Kuwabara glared at the demon, but he also looked disgusted.

Rather than answer, the demon flew to the far wall behind it. It flew to a small depression in the wall and used the nerve endings to pull down a lever. The cave suddenly began to rumble and there was a distinct sound of stone scraping against stone.

" _The ceiling's dropping!_ " Yusuke shouted and everyone instinctively raised their arms above their heads. The ceiling collided with their palms and was heavy enough to bring them down to a slight crouch.

"The gate is keenly sensitive, quite smart, and very wicked." Sayomi tried to keep her focus on the weight but the damn voice was grating on her nerves. "It analyzes the strength of each person and applies the exact amount of pressure that he can tolerate. If even one of you relaxes in the slightest- _Splat!_ "

" _Garr!_ " Yusuke growled as he strained to keep the ceiling up. " _Blast you…!_ "

The demon laughed at their struggles. "If one of you strives to save _himself_ by escaping, the _others_ will be flattened. If none of you attempts a betrayal, you'll all exhaust yourselves in this futile effort and _die together._ " The eye narrowed in sadistic pleasure. "As you can see, only _craven traitors_ may enter this castle. The choice is yours."

"Keeripes!" Kuwabara was sweating nervously under the strain. "What a load 'a _crap!_ "

Yusuke glared at the flying eyeball, then shifted his focus to the lever behind it. _We must… move that lever_ back up _somehow!_ " _H-Hiei!_ " The short demon glanced over at the detective. "You're a lot _faster_ than the rest of us! Run out and try to raise that lever by the eye guy!"

Sayomi snapped her attention to Yusuke, flabbergasted by his plan. _Is he out of his mind?! This is_ exactly _the kind of thing he warned you about_ himself! _I hope he knows what he's doing…_

"Are you _outta yer mind_ , Urameshi?!" Kuwabara seemed to be on Sayomi's side with this one. " _You_ go! You don't wanna _trust_ that little creep!"

Hiei smirked, despite the peril. "So Mr. Flat Face is not a complete idiot after all."

"Mr. Fla-… You talkin' 'bout _me?!_ " Kuwabara screeched. Sayomi couldn't help chuckling at the comment.

"Do you _really_ want to trust me?"

Yusuke smirked back at Hiei with confidence. "I can support your share of the weight for a second or two if I give it all I've got. _Go_ , Hiei! Just don't take too long, 'kay?!"

Hiei regarded Yusuke for a moment, stunned by the detective's trust. The next moment, he dashed to the lever, shocking the tiny guard. Yusuke took the chance to release his spirit energy to give him a temporary strength boost as the wall shifted down another inch.

Hiei watched the display, hesitating.

"What're you _waitin'_ for?" Kuwabara yelled under the heavier weight. "Raise the lever!"

Hiei continued to watch. Sayomi glared up at him angrily. "I knew it. You're just like them, aren't you? You're pathetic." Hiei glared and his grip on the lever tightened.

"Think it over, Lord Hiei." The demon fluttered around Hiei. "Leave them to their fate, and I will escort you to Master Suzaku. A criminal of your caliber will be given a hearty welcome by the Four Beasts."

" _Yo, shorty!_ You're gonna _betray_ Urameshi's _trust just like that?!_ " Kuwabara glared at Hiei as the weight progressively became heavier. He had to keep his head at an angle to keep from doing more serious damage.

"Gate of Betrayal is just the sort of method you would resort to. You know, since you can't defeat Yusuke in a fair and honorable fight." Sayomi could feel her arms giving out on her but she used her legs to brace her shoulders against the ceiling. Sweat was starting to trail into her eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut as they began to sting.

"Heh… Heh heh heh." Sayomi glared through the burn as Hiei began to chuckle to himself. "What a bunch of _morons_." The team watched Hiei in suspense, waiting for his decision. " _You have no idea!_ " Hiei shouted and instantly swung his arm toward the small demon hovering too close. A vertical slash opened perfectly across the eyelid. Blood spurted from the demon as it struggled to fly away blindly. Hiei lifted the lever and the wall quit rumbling.

"It _stopped!_ " Yusuke and the others noticed the weight was gone and began to crawl out of the cramped space.

"Tell your masters…" Hiei was addressing the dying eyeball. "…I'll spare their lives _if_ they'll submit to _my will!_ They get _one chance_ to _beg_ for their _lives!_ That's it!"

"You okay, Urameshi?" Kuwabara hovered around Yusuke, in case he lost balance.

Sayomi and the others made their way out of the tunnel and Yusuke was trembling all over. He had to support extra weight and use his energy to pull it off. Without thinking about it, Sayomi approached the exhausted boy and began to relieve his muscles with her own energy.

"Whoo! I'll let you know in a second! Thanks, Sai!" Yusuke ruffled her hair after she was finished. Then he turned to Hiei with a thumbs up and a wide smile. " _Good work,_ Hiei! Thanks!"

Hiei regarded Yusuke with a glance before the detective swung his arm around his shoulder like any other comrade. "You sure made us sweat with that imperious act of yours! You're one _supremely twisted_ guy, m'man."

"Hmph…" Hiei shrugged his way out of Yusuke's reach and pointed straight at him. "I didn't do it for _your_ sake! This will go _faster_ with _backup_."

Kurama chuckled as he approached Yusuke, who was still smiling at Hiei's retreating figure. "Heh… In his own way, he's trying to say 'you're welcome.'"

Sayomi crossed her arms over her chest and muttered, "How hard is it to say 'you're welcome?'"

The group meandered down the stone corridor, bypassing numerous doors and sub tunnels that lined the walls and ceiling. Their footsteps were the only sources of sound that could be heard in any direction. Sayomi kept her position at the back of the group. Despite his actions, she couldn't bring herself to trust Hiei. _Sure, he saved us from the Gate of Betrayal, but who's to say he won't just try to kill us himself? If he makes the wrong move, I won't hesitate._

Her gaze shifted to Kurama. He was a puzzle and he was nowhere near easy to solve. _He seems so calm and polite, yet he was on the Underworld's most wanted list along with Hiei. Even stranger when he smells completely human. Although there was a hint of something floral mingling in with his natural scent. Perhaps he took care of a garden back home, or is it to mask his own smell? He doesn't come off as aggressive and he actually keeps the fighting to a minimum. Can he fight or was he just the brain of the operation?_ Sayomi made a note to learn more about the boy. Perhaps he would answer her questions himself.

"I see why this place is called Labyrinth Castle." Yusuke skimmed over the possible routes, with no idea which path to take.

"Find some stairs that'll take us up," Kuwabara suggested. "Big bosses like to hang out on top floors."

A sudden buzz went off in Yusuke's pocket, followed by static and a muffled voice. "Yusuke, it's Botan! All's _quiet_ here in the Human World so far."

"Check!" Yusuke replied just so Botan would know he heard her. He pulled a small purple compact from his pocket and opened it to a small screen.

Botan's face filled the tiny screen as she made her update report. "At this point I've managed to nail fifteen roundworm monsters."

"Fifteen out of thousands…" Yusuke sighed. "A drop in the bucket. We gotta hurry and snatch that _whistle_."

"Listen, these parasites only seek out and subsume _sinister_ souls and there don't appear to be many like that around. Maybe there's more _hope_ for humanity than I thought." There was the sound of a stomp from Botan's end. "Ah! Got _another_ one. But this may just be the calm before the storm. So I agree- Hurry!" With a peace sign, Botan's face blacked out from the screen.

Yusuke pocketed the compact communicator and addressed the rest of the group. "Okay… The city's safe for now. Let's move."

As the teens resumed their trek through the castle, Yusuke turned to the red-head to his right. "What do _you_ know about these Four Beasts, Kurama? I mean, I have _no idea_ what we're about to face."

Kurama glanced at the detective with his eyes only and attempted to answer. "Well, as you may have gathered from special measures the Underworld took to restrict them, they're _very dangerous_. And they don't look at all human, so brace yourself for that."

"Such high praise. _I blush._ " The group froze at a door as a deep, gravelly voice spoke from within. Yusuke and Kuwabara steeled themselves and slammed the door open.

"This is _one of them?!_ " Yusuke stopped in his tracks and grimaced at the sight of their first opponent.

He was a large demon made of stone. He resembled a tortoise with shell-like stone armor covering his back and chest; stone spikes lined the bottom edge of his back. His arms were human shaped, but the hung low to the ground, the backs of his hands curled in just above the floor. He stood at a squat to disperse the weight of his body, but his long tail surely had something to do with maintaining his balance. His head was topped with stone spikes and his eyes almost sagged shut. His ears seemed to be simple mounds on the side of his head and his lower canines kept his mouth open with a constant under bite. "Heh… Indeed it is. Welcome. I, Genbu, will take _goood_ care of you."

"Shee! _Big_ sucker…!" Kuwabara was just as surprised as Yusuke.

"He looks like a big turtle. Maybe we can push him onto his back and run past him." Sayomi noticed the stairs in the tower behind the demon. _Maybe if we can just put out the torches and sneak past him…_

"Behind me is the one staircase in the castle that leads up. Defeat me, and gain the stairs… or _die_." Genbu cracked his tail like a whip against the floor. There was the loud crash of stone against stone and a small crater of cracks and pebbles had appeared at contact. "Come at me all at once. It'll save time… for me, anyway."

"Y-you've gotta be _yankin'_ me!" Kuwabara wailed, his eyes bulging from their sockets. "How d'ya fight a real live _monster?!_ "

Sayomi raised an eyebrow at him. "Didn't you fight against _Rando?_ "

"I'll give it a whirl."

"Kurama!" Yusuke was surprised the pacifist of the group had volunteered.

Kurama stepped forward, at ease with his hands resting in his pockets and his charming smile. "Let's see how he handles _one_ of us before we commit to a joint attack. Anyway," Kurama glanced at Hiei, his smile shifting slightly into a faint smirk. "I can't let Hiei have all the fun and take all the bows!"

"Feh! Who cares?" The short demon scoffed and turned away, annoyed with his partner in crime.

Sayomi glanced at the two demons, confused. _What is_ that _supposed to mean?_

"So it's one at a time, eh? Come on, then." Genbu taunted the redhead, eager for the fight.

"Look," Yusuke panicked. "Maybe we could _sneak around_ him…"

"Relax. Kurama may _surprise_ you." The boys and Sayomi turned to Hiei. "Fact is, I teamed up with him because that's a lot smarter than going _against_ him. Threaten him, and he gets _vicious_ in ways even I don't like to think about."

"You sound as though you're speaking from experience." Sayomi noticed the tone in his voice. It was almost as if he was recalling a memory.

"I've seen him in action, but I never challenged him myself. Like I said, it's smarter to _not_ fight against him." Hiei smirked in her direction. "You would be better off accepting him as an ally than looking for reasons to label him as an enemy."

Sayomi stiffened and she narrowed her eyes at him. _How did he…?_

"Whenever you're ready." Kurama had made his way to the center of the chamber in front of Genbu. The demon merely stared at Kurama, as if in a daze. "… All right, _I'll_ make the first move."

Yusuke looked in Genbu's direction and gasped. "His tail's _melting_ into the rock floor!"

Kuwabara, Sayomi, and Hiei shifted their gazes to the demon. His tail was arched down and disappeared into the floor. There was the faint sound of shifting rubble. Then, the tail began to rise from the floor behind his opponent.

"And it's coming up _behind_ Kurama!" Yusuke shouted to warn his teammate. The others could only watch as Kurama heard Yusuke and was only able to catch a glimpse of the stone appendage.

"Ha ha ha! _Rock_ is my _element!_ I move _freely_ in it! It allows me to do things like… _this!_ " Genbu launched his tail directly at Kurama. The red-head was too slow and the pointed end of the tail slashed straight across Kurama's abdomen.


	7. Chapter 7

" _Kurama!_ " Yusuke shouted while the rest of the group could only watch in suspense. Kurama gasped as his abdomen was sliced open by the sharp end of Genbu's tail. Blood spilled free from the wound as the red-head was brought to his knees, supporting his weight with his right hand and applying pressure to the gash with his left arm. Genbu began to retract his tail into the stone floor.

"He slid his tail _right through rock!_ " Yusuke exclaimed from the sidelines.

"And _nailed_ Kurama!" Kuwabara finished.

Sayomi clenched her fists by her side and growled, annoyed that she couldn't intervene. _If I try to help him, it would only provoke him to attack everyone else too. This is_ not _looking good._ She slid a glance in Hiei's direction. He didn't look so much worried as he did nervous. _After what he claimed earlier about the red-head, his expression doesn't bode well for us_. She clenched her teeth and took some deep breaths, slowly trying to relax her tense muscles.

"As you now realize, this _entire room_ is an _extension_ of myself!" Genbu had pulled his tail out of the stone floor and was waving it in the air behind him. The corners of his mouth lifted in his best attempt at a smile. Kurama watched from his knelt position, listening to the beast. "You have _no hope_ of escape!"

"Kurama, say something!" Yusuke shouted. " _Anything!_ "

Kurama slowly lessened the pressure on his stomach and smiled at the worried teen. "It's okay. I've had _worse…_ as you know. Genbu just caught me off guard, is all."

Sayomi noticed Hiei's scowl darken from the corner of her eye and arched an eyebrow in curiosity. _Oh? I wonder what_ that _implies. Did something happen between them? I thought he said he never challenged him to a fight. Was it an accident? But then, why would Hiei look guilty? You would think a murderer wouldn't care about hurting others. He certainly_ threatens _everyone enough…_

"Put on the tough act if you like…" Genbu's gravelly voice snapped the shadow demon out of her thoughts. "…But _I'm_ just getting _started_. Heh heh." Before he finished speaking, the stone demon was already up to his eyes in the floor.

"Gack!" Kuwabara was freaked out by the monster as it disappeared. "Now his _whole body's_ sinking into the floor!" Yusuke and the others watched in horror.

"He's totally _gone!_ " Yusuke's voice echoed around the empty chamber.

"And no telling _where_ he'll _come out!_ " Kuwabara was looking all around the room for a sign of the demon.

Sayomi shifted her vision to infrared, but everywhere she looked, she could only pick up the cool tones. _I suppose a demon made of rock wouldn't exactly be warm-blooded, now would it?_

Kurama shifted his eyes around the chamber, searching for the slightest shift in the rocks.

" _Boo!_ " Genbu launched out from the floor behind Kurama.

" _Another sneak attack!_ " Kurama suspected another attempt behind his back. He turned to face the demon head-on when he heard the rocks shift behind him. The tail had risen from the opposite side.

"He's gettin' it from _both sides!_ " Kuwabara warned his new ally.

Kurama managed to dodge, jump, and twist out of the way from Genbu's double-team. Genbu's hand had struck the floor where the thief had stood while his tail had aimed upwards to impale Kurama. The thief was able to flip out of the way and land in a kneeling position, ready to move quickly if necessary. Genbu merely melted back into the floor.

"There he goes _again!_ " Yusuke shouted, angry and annoyed by the repetition.

"No _fair,_ creepoid!" Kuwabara pointed accusingly in the beast's general direction.

"You expect him to fight _fair_?" Sayomi growled, getting tired of the same trick.

" _You won't win just by dodging, Demon Thief!_ " Genbu was rushing Kurama from behind again.

Kurama was able to jump to the side and out of the demon's reach. "You have a point." Kurama landed on one knee again and calmly reached into his hair. Sayomi noticed a red petal fall from his mane. He pulled a red rose free, in full bloom, and smiled. "It's time I gave as well as got."

" _A rose?!_ " Yusuke exclaimed. "Kurama, are you _crazy?!_ "

"Just watch…" Sayomi muttered, curious about what was going to happen.

"This isn't just any rose…" Kurama stood up fully. With a quick swish motion, the thorned stem sprung forth, scattering the red petals throughout the space. "It's my _Rose Whip!_ " Kurama held the handle in one hand while he held up the thorn whip in the other, tugging it upward.

"The room smells… nice. What's going on?" Yusuke was dumbfounded by his friend's weapon and the sudden floral aroma that wafted through the stale air.

"Dare I say it… _flower power?_ " Kuwabara felt just as awkward as his rival about the change in atmosphere.

"I wish you _hadn't_ said anything _._ " Sayomi mumbled. She actually liked the smell. It was refreshing after the cool, damp air she had been tasting the past half hour or so.

"Heh heh… fool." Sayomi tensed at the voice echoing around the room. _At least it isn't telepathy…_ "How will you wield that whip against someone who can _strike_ at you from _anywhere?_ "

Kurama relaxed and closed his eyes, smiling. "Guess we'll find out. Ready when you are."

"Interesting…!" Genbu bellowed. "I'll cut you to _ribbons_ with _one slash!_ "

Yusuke and the others tensed, waiting for the demon to make his move. Yusuke looked anxious for something to happen so he wouldn't have to wait in suspense. Kuwabara clenched his teeth, knowing what was coming but unable to tell when or where. Sayomi clenched her fists, trying to keep from jumping in to help. Hiei watched impassively, not caring that his partner was in danger. Kurama kept his eyes closed and stood his ground, until he found what he was looking for.

" _Ah! Up there!_ " Kurama snapped his green eyes open at the ceiling.

" _What?!_ " Genbu was already leaping down from the ceiling and towards Kurama. "How did you _know?!_ " The beast shouted, shaken by his opponent's accuracy.

"Heh!" Kurama's smile shifted to a smirk. "I _smelled_ your aura. Now that the air's been purified by the scent of roses, it's easy to pinpoint _your_ putrid stench."

"He's _got_ him!" Hiei's sudden announcement caught Sayomi by surprise. She didn't expect him to get so excited. While he wasn't as animated as Yusuke and Kuwabara seemed to be, his smirk looked somewhat approving, as if he expected it. "The _thorns_ on that whip _cut through steel_ like a hot knife through butter!"

" _Thorn Whip Lash!_ " Kurama dashed towards the beast, swinging his whip in several directions across Genbu's body. The stone demon fell to the ground in large pieces, landing heavily and echoing throughout the room. Kurama landed easily on his feet as his whip snaked around behind him.

"Stellar!" Yusuke cheered. "He _dismembered_ Genbu with _one whip crack!_ "

"That guy _wasn't_ so tough after all!" Kuwabara victoriously clenched his fist, grinning so huge his face looked like it hurt.

Sayomi sighed in relief and released her clenched fists. There were small red indentions in her palms, but no blood. _I'm glad he made it. Now we can move on to the next level._ Sayomi snapped back into focus when she heard Hiei speak.

"You dolt. Kurama made it _look_ easy, but you'd have been dead at Genbu's first strike."

Kuwabara made an about-face turn and he leaned down a bit in an attempt to glare at the short demon. "Why d'you keep _torquein' me_ every time you _open your yap?!_ "

Sayomi watched the two, amused by their banter. _I may not like or trust them, but they are pretty entertaining in their own ways._

"Listen," Kuwabara continued, pointing his thumb at himself. "I placed _third_ in the competition to choose _Master Genkai's successor!_ "

"You're right, Kuwabara. The bronze medal isn't something so easily earned, especially considering all the humans who were cut from the beginning. Not to mention the demon that nearly killed you." Sayomi couldn't help joining in. She found herself having fun when teasing the human.

"You're _not_ helping, Sayomi!" Kuwabara snapped.

"I should care?" Hiei asked, sounding bored and unimpressed.

"Knock it off, you three." Yusuke glared and ground his teeth, annoyed with the bickering from his team.

"Yeah, we still have to…" Kurama cut himself off midsentence, noticing a shift in aura. He shut his eyes, tired but resolute. "We're not _done_ here."

"Huh?" Yusuke looked at his teammate, confused. A sudden sound snapped his attention to Genbu's severed limbs. The appendages were twitching and skidding closer to the main torso, clicking back into place as if nothing had happened. Yusuke and the others watched, either worried or expectant.

Once the limbs were in place, the arms reached for the head, putting it into place as if it were just another accessory. "As you see, I find being sliced to pieces no more than a _moment's inconvenience!_ "

"Granite-Butt _put_ himself _back together!_ " Kuwabara took a few steps back in horror, raising his trembling hand in disgust. "He's… _unkillable!_ "

"Oh, that's nothing. Watch this!" Genbu smiled and bent forward slightly, reaching for Kurama. Suddenly, his arms and head, followed by the other segments of his body, launched straight for the boy. Kurama grunted as his stomach was grazed again from one of Genbu's hands. " _Exploding Rock! Take that, Thief!_ "

"Whoah!" Kurama quickly raised his whip and struck several times at his opponent. The thorns on the whip were able to cut Genbu's limbs into smaller pieces, lessening the impact and cutting straight through where his brain should've been.

" _That_ pulverized 'im!" Yusuke pumped his fist triumphantly.

"Nuthin' but _gravel_ now…" Kuwabara sighed in relief.

Genbu smirked to himself before recollecting himself. Through the floating debris, Kurama noticed a small glint but it was gone before he could properly react. "Heh heh. As I said, a mere inconvenience." Before long, Genbu was nearly whole again.

Yusuke grimaced as he broke out in a nervous sweat. "Even _that_ didn't do it! Kurama can't _win!_ "

Sayomi snapped her attention to Yusuke, clenching her fists again. "Don't _say_ that! Every living thing has to die. There's no way this thing is immortal…"

"You bore me, twerp – _die!_ _Exploding Rock!_ "

"Again?!" Kurama groaned, annoyed with the same tactics.

Genbu launched himself towards Kurama. Even while Kurama lashed out at the demon, Genbu was able to scratch and cut around the boy's arms and legs.

" _Unh!_ " Kurama groaned when he felt his stomach throb. One of the rocks had made contact with his stomach, reopening his wound and triggering his nerve endings. Kurama kneeled on the floor, supporting himself with one hand and breathing carefully.

"Still breathing, but clearly no fight left." Genbu was reforming his body, preparing for another attack.

"Heh… Heh heh…" Kurama looked up at his opponent and began to laugh to himself. "Heh heh heh."

"Ha ha! Has fear snapped your mind?!" Genbu taunted. "Well, then, I'll put you _out_ of your _misery!_ "

Yusuke and Kuwabara gasped in shock. Hiei's eyes widened a bit. Sayomi blinked a couple times then bit her lip. Kurama continued to smile from his kneeling position.

"Guh…?!" Genbu grunted and blinked a few times. "He… He's upside down…?! _What's going on?!_ "

" _Ha ha ha ha!_ "Yusuke and Kuwabara busted a gut as they pointed and started laughing hysterically. Sayomi clutched her ribs and laughed along with them, unable to hold it in for too long.

Genbu stood in the middle of the chamber on his two legs. The rest of him wasn't so organized. His tail had split in half and was protruding from his upper and lower right side. He had his left arm in the right area, but his right arm was attached just over his right shoulder. The kicker was that his head was upside down and attached between his legs. "Hyi! It's _gone!_ Where _is_ it?! Where's my-"

"Looking for _this?_ " Kurama held up a pulsing red stone, smiling at the demon. It didn't beat in a conventional sense, but the aura that engulfed it seemed to have a pulse of its own.

" _Gaah!_ " Genbu shouted, perspiring nervously.

Kurama held up the stone for everyone to see, taunting the beast. "I figure this is your _control core_ , the part that keeps all the pieces of your body organized. You made it look like any other piece of you, but I saw the _glint_ as it _emitted energy._ Part of my success as a thief, you see, is that I'm good at finding what's hidden."

" _W-wait!_ " Genbu pleaded. " _Don't hurt it!_ "

"Well, now…" Kurama casually flung the stone forward. He quickly cracked his Rose Whip and split the red stone down the middle.

" _Gaah!_ " With a pained cry, Genbu shattered into pebbles and dust across the floor.

" _You did it!_ " Yusuke cheered, pumping his arms in front of him. " _And just what he deserved!_ "

"Unh…!" Kurama grunted and slumped back to his knee.

" _Kurama!_ " Yusuke ran up to his friend with the others close behind.

Hiei looked down at Kurama and the wounds he collected. "Genbu was a _formidable_ opponent. Kurama won't be able to go on…"

"No problem!" Yusuke exclaimed, jerking his thumb at himself. "Leave the rest to _us!_ "

"Yeah," Kuwabara chimed in. " _I'll_ work the _next_ creepoid over!" _The others can't be_ this _monstrous._

Sayomi walked towards Kurama and knelt beside him. She extended her hands and reached for his stomach, where the worst of the damage was. "I can't heal all your wounds because I may need to help later, but at least I can stop the bleeding." When her hands began to glow with a black aura, she pushed the energy forward and began to mend his wound. Kurama sighed in relief as the cold energy blew over the burning pain. Once the blood flow ceased, Sayomi pulled away, relinquishing the shadows from her control.

"Thank you, Sayomi. I appreciate your services." Kurama smiled at her and stood up slowly, careful not to open his wound again.

Sayomi stood up and tilted her head at Kurama. "I don't believe you're a bad person, whether you're the same Kurama or not. I'm glad to know I can rely on someone like you to help Yusuke." She bowed her head slightly and made her way back to her charge.

"Alright guys! Let's climb some stairs!" Yusuke headed for the spiral stairs inside the stone pillar. Kuwabara followed close behind him, muttering nervously. Sayomi waited at the door after Kurama walked through. When Hiei refused to follow, Sayomi stared, not moving to go up. They watched each other for a moment before someone spoke.

"Why aren't you going up?" Sayomi didn't mind breaking the silence.

"Why aren't _you?_ " Hiei countered. He glared at her, facing her head-on with his hands in his pockets.

"I don't trust you at my back, let alone Yusuke's." Sayomi crossed her arms, standing her ground.

"Yet you trust Kurama."

"Kurama didn't threaten Yusuke at the start of the mission."

Hiei's eyes narrowed slightly. "What is your obsession with the detective?"

Sayomi tilted her head to the side a bit. "Why do you care?"

"I don't, but you weren't around before. I don't know what kind of demon you are or why you submit yourself to the detective, but if you're another Underworld dog –"

"I don't work for them." Sayomi cut him off sharply. Her glare intensified, gray eyes darkening like storm clouds.

Hiei quirked an eyebrow, curious about her shift in aura. "Did I touch a nerve?"

"Just stop targeting Yusuke." Sayomi closed her eyes and made her way up the stairs, taking deep breaths along the way. Hiei slowly followed behind her, keeping her within his sight.

"About time you guys showed up." Sayomi opened her eyes when Yusuke greeted them at the top of the stairs. "We were worried you two were gonna kill each other."

Once Hiei made it up, Yusuke led the group down the corridor. "How ya doin', Kurama?" He glanced at the red-head walking next to him on his right.

"Not bad. I'm still on my feet." He glanced behind him and smiled. "Sayomi's healing abilities are quite resourceful. I'm in her debt."

Sayomi glanced at Kurama then looked down at the floor. She didn't know how to properly handle the compliment. She was used to being scolded rather than praised. It made her feel awkward.

"You won't be much good in a fight, though." Hiei interjected. "Without you, the three of us will have to deal with what's ahead."

" _Three?_ I hope that includes _me_." Sayomi glared at Hiei, annoyed with his attitude.

"You're best on the sidelines for mending the wounded. Let the _fighters_ handle the actual _fighting_." Hiei didn't bother sparing her a glance.

Sayomi was about to tell him off when Kuwabara cut her off. "Don't sweat it! _I'll_ take the next guy!"

"Hah!" Yusuke laughed. "You almost fainted at the sight of the _first_ guy!"

Kuwabara ground his teeth and yelled, "Shut up! I just _wasn't ready!_ " He held up his hand as his energy began to gather in his palm with an orange glow. "I wasn't sittin' around while you were off training with Master Genkai, y'know. Through trial and error, I figured out how to conjure my Reiki Sword using only my bare hand." Within a moment, Kuwabara summoned the sword in question. "See?"

"Not bad…" Hiei looked at the sword, feigning impression. "Not quite the dead weight I took you for."

Kuwabara turned to the demon and grabbed the shawl around his neck. He held his sword up threateningly. " _You_ want a taste of this?!"

"Get a _grip,_ guy." Yusuke deadpanned.

"Sure, man. No sweat." Kuwabara released Hiei and struggled to appear calm. Sayomi could still see his eyebrow twitching in annoyance and she chuckled to herself quietly. "My research didn't stop there, y'know.

" _Check it out!_ " Kuwabara reached upwards with his sword. " _Sword, extend!_ " The sword reacted instantly, shooting up through the ceiling.

Yusuke watched the spectacle in awe, his hands resting in his pockets. "Whoa! From a sword to a _spear!_ "

Kuwabara extinguished his sword and pointed his thumb at himself for emphasis. "That first bruiser caught me off guard, but I'm ready for anything now. Bring it _on,_ I say!'

Sayomi smiled up at the boy. "You've made some quick improvements. You didn't even need a teacher to force you." She looked over at Yusuke. "Maybe he can teach you a thing or two."

Yusuke glared down at Sayomi and growled, "Shut up, Sai! Nobody asked for your opinion."

Sayomi tilted her head slightly, arching an eyebrow. "Didn't you comment earlier that I was too quiet? You shouldn't be so indecisive, Yusuke."

"Ummf…" Kuwabara brought his hand up to his head, shutting his eyes and swaying a little on his feet. "Dizzy… Slinging all that aura around…"

Yusuke turned his frustrated glare to his rival and growled through clenched teeth. "Save any other tricks for the _fight,_ then!"

" _Rroooarrrr!_ "

Everyone braced themselves as the hallway shook around them, loose debris falling from the ceiling. The growl sounded like rumbling thunder, the vibrations bouncing around the walls and echoing through the area. It didn't sound too far away.

"What?" Kuwabara began to tremble and sweat nervously. "What was _that?!_ It sounds… _otherworldly!_ "

Sayomi sighed, regretting her earlier praise for his intelligence. "We _are_ in the _Demon plane._ "

"Byakko." Kurama identified. "That's his roar. Sounds like he's in a foul mood."

" _Let's go!_ " Yusuke led the charge down the hall until a doorway came in sight. " _This way!_ "

"Whoa!" The group climbed up a spiral staircase in a small tower and found themselves outside. There was a winding platform with a stone wall bordering the edge and preventing anyone from falling over. The wall was about waist high and the platform was wide enough to move without feeling crowded. Stretching before them was a narrow bridge that crossed to a large, round platform. On the other side of the platform was a mini-tower that had a winding staircase wrapping along the outer wall. There was another shout from the demon, the sound booming freely into the sky.

Standing on the mini-tower was the second beast. Byakko was a large, bipedal white tiger with a long green mane. His body was heavy with powerful muscle and Sayomi could tell that his large saber teeth were not just for intimidation. He wore a leopard-pattern fur tunic that hung down to his knees. Matching leg warmers adorned his thick calves. His long tail swayed behind him, as thick as a rope and much stronger. "I _can't believe_ I had to get off my butt to deal with pesky little fleas like you!" Byakko's bloodshot eyes glared hatefully at the intruders. "You defeated Genbu, but don't let that go to your heads. He was only an underling!"

"He's _enormous!_ " Yusuke couldn't believe what he was seeing. "A 10-footer at least!"

Kuwabara trembled next to Yusuke, regretting his earlier declaration to fight the second beast. "This… this wasn't the deal."

Sayomi slid a glance in the human's general direction. "What deal are you talking about?"

Byakko ignored their remarks and clenched his clawed hands. "Holed up here in this depressing castle, no succulent human flesh upon which to sup… It makes one quite _irritable_. And now the Underworld sends two puny humans, a pair of traitors, and a woman to fight us! What an _insult!_ "

"Hey!" Sayomi resented being underestimated just because of her gender. Living with a whole population of male monks, Sayomi had enough of a hard time proving herself. It was only one of the reasons they refused to teach her any combat.

" _Listen, worms!_ " Byakko flexed his arms as he curled them to his chest, displaying his physical strength to intimidate his prey." _I gulp down humans by the six-pack! Hiei! Kurama! I'll shred you and feed you to the rotten scamps!_ " The very sound of his voice seemed to make the castle rumble from the vibrations.

"Urk!" Yusuke grunted as he steadied his balance. "What a grating _voice!_ Feels like it's _gouging my innards!_ "

"Well, I've had enough of his bull." Kuwabara stepped forward, challenging the giant cat.

" _Kuwabara!_ " Yusuke worried about his classmate after his last encounter with a demon.

"You're going to take him _alone?_ " Hiei taunted the thug. "I thought that was all talk."

"Duh!" Kuwabara held up his left fist, his right hand bracing over his bicep. He glared down at Hiei, his body visibly quivering. "One-on-one! That's _street fightin'_ , pal!"

"You're trembling from eagerness, then?" Yusuke mused.

Kuwabara pounded his fist into his open palm, stubbornly making his way across the narrow bridge. "What I _say_ I'm gonna do, I _do_!"

Yusuke narrowed his eyes, annoyed with his rival's bravado. "You can't back out now, y'mean!"

"Nut's to you, Urameshi! _Just watch!_ " Kuwabara shouted back, already half way across.

Byakko narrowed his eyes, confusion spreading across his features. "Huh?! One human coming towards me – _alone_?! Hrnn… Heh… Heh heh…

"Heh heh heh, wah ha ha ha!" Byakko broke into a fit of laughter, curling a clawed finger under his chin in amusement. "Was _this_ the Underworld's plan – to make me _die laughing_?!"

" _Cut that out!_ " Kuwabara had made it to the large circular platform and was pointing at Byakko, challenging the demon. "We'll see who laughs after _you_ haul your tuckus down here!"

"Heh heh… I'll pass." Byakko settled into a relaxed smile and shut his eyes, unintimidated by the pest. He reached up to his mane and plucked a few strands free. "No need to put myself out." With a gentle breath of air, the white tiger blew the hairs toward the arena. "There you go!"

Kuwabara braced himself as the strands fluttered to the arena. Midway through their descent, the hairs morphed into four miniature beasts. Their fur was the same green as Bryakko's mane, with a ridge of darker fur that lined their hunched backs. They stood sturdy on four short, strong legs with three claws adorning each foot. Their eyes were large and gleamed solid red. Three smaller eyes crossed the beasts' foreheads just above and between the main eyes. Their mouths hung open with large fangs along the top upper jaw, and smaller sharp teeth bordering the lower jaw. When they landed, the ground shook from their combined weight.

Kuwabara froze, petrified by the demons. "He turned his fur into… into _these things_?!"

"My Doppelganger Beasts!" Byakko introduced. "They'll slowly tear you to _pieces_! Even after _death,_ you will regret your foolish attempt to confront me!"

" _Yaaah!_ " Kuwabara yelled as a screeching beast lunged at him head-on. "Rrg!" Kuwabara managed to dodge to the side as the monster continued forward. " _Ow!_ " When Kuwabara landed, he had two deep scratches that formed a V, starting wide from his shoulders and dragging down, narrowing across his chest. Another scratch on his left cheek was deep enough to draw blood. Kuwabara got back to his feet and summoned his Reiki Sword. " _Yah hah!_ "

Byakko smirked down at the human, pointing down at him. "You summon a _Reiki blade_? Such impudence! That pitiful thing will be _useless_ against _four beasts at once!_ "

The beasts pounced at Kuwabara. The teen gripped his sword with both hands, getting in position. He glared at the creatures, tightening his grip on his sword. " _Hii-ya!_ " Kuwabara lunged forward and swung his sword.

The beast was faster. It dodged Kuwabara's strike and circled around to scratch across his shoulder blades. Meanwhile, another beast was attacking his chest.

" _Gyaah!_ " Kuwabara yelled in agony as the force of their attacks pushed and pulled his body around helplessly.

"I've never seen such _pathetic_ sword skills. Those beasts will nail him _good_ in a matter of moments." Hiei observed. Yusuke was clenching his fists, angry that he couldn't do anything.

"There's too many of them…" Sayomi muttered. She pitied the boy for drawing such an unlucky hand. It was like Rando all over again. She knew he could take a beating, but this was too much.

"Gruuh…" Kuwabara staggered to his feet after the beasts backed off, his face strained from the pain. He was covered in scratches, and he could barely stand up. His body shook with the effort. "Unh!" He clutched his sword, refusing to release it and back down. He charged for the beasts again, swinging wildly around him, hoping to hit _something_.

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke shouted. " _Switch off_ with me! _My Shotgun Blast's_ better for taking out _multiple targets!_ You're an _infighter!_ You're not _made_ for this!"

"Ha ha ha!" Genbu laughed. "Don't be so _polite._ Why don't you all jump in at once? You runts shouldn't have tried to fight me in the _first place!_ "

"Stay put, guys!" Kuwabara shouted. "I ain't tagging out until Fuzzyfangs _faces me himself!_ You _hear me,_ Urameshi? Try anything, and I'll kill _you_ first!"

"Still haven't learned your _lesson,_ eh?" Byakko perched his right foot on the tower's border wall and rested his arm on his raised thigh. He pointed down at Kuwabara with his other hand and gave his orders. "Beasts, rip off his limbs, one by one! Leave me the torso and head for my _supper!_ "

Kuwabara cringed. " _Yipes!_ " He managed to dodge a beast before it could follow through with the command. He glared defiantly at the beast. " _Bad_ doggie! These arms are freshly healed! I ain't _losin'_ 'em now!"

" _Kuwabara!_ " Yusuke called. " _Don't be a jackass! Switch with me! Your sword's not enough to take these things out!_ Kuwabara!"

Kuwabara looked down the bridge at Yusuke's distant figure. He was _right_ in front of him. "Hey! I just got an _idea!_ "

"Eh?" When Kuwabara began to run back to his friends, Byakko and the beasts let him go. Byakko clenched his fist in victory. "Ha ha! Lost your _nerve?!_ Flee back to your companions, then! But it's _no use!_ The beasts will _devour you all!_ "

"Run run run!" Kuwabara ran for his life across the bridge. When he stopped midway, he turned back to face the beasts. "Nerve? Ya wanna see _nerve?!_ "

Yusuke and the others watched in suspense, oblivious to Kuwabara's plan. Yusuke's mouth was hanging open in fear and shock. Kurama's eyebrows lowered in suspicion, predicting Kuwabara's motive. Hiei watched with interest, not expecting the human to have a plan. Sayomi bit her lip nervously as the beasts quickly gained up on him.

" _Sword, grow!_ " Kuwabara shouted. The sword instantly reacted to the command. The sword extended directly in front of Kuwabara. The sword struck through the leading beast's mouth, then continued through the other end. The sword stopped once all four beasts were caught, anchoring hooks sprouting from the end to lock the demons in place.

" _What?!_ " Byakko's jaw dropped, not expecting the tactic.

"Hah!" Kuwabara grinned up at the tiger, still holding his sword. "They _fell_ for it! I lured your pets over this narrow bridge just so I could _skewer_ them!"

"Smart boy!" Byakko commended. "But that _hardly_ amounts to a death blow! And look!" He pointed down at his spawn. "They're still _hungry!_ "

" _Urk?!_ " Kuwabara grunted, flinching back as the leading beast screeched. The beasts began to hunt Kuwabara across the bridge. " _Waaaah haaaah!_ " Kuwabara cried, keeping his grip on his sword as he ran from the chained demons.

Sayomi and the boys stepped out of his path as he rounded the tower wall. The hooked end of his sword dragged along the wall until it caught onto a chink in the old brick. " _Heee hoo!_ " Kuwabara cheered as he felt the tug on his weapon. He continued his run, allowing the sword to extend as needed, until he ran up to the anchored end of his sword. Without hesitation, he wrapped his end of the sword around the anchor, connecting and locking the ends together. " _There!_ " Kuwabara pumped his fist. " _How's that?!_ "

Sayomi smiled as the beasts ran around the tower in a circle. _He's pretty resourceful in a pinch._ She chuckled quietly as they began to screech helplessly.

"Hah!" Kuwabara stood proudly before his work, catching his breath. " _Monster Beastie Shish kebabs_ on the hoof!"

"He _fused_ Reiki end to end. That's absurd." Hiei stared at the beasts, his expression bored.

"You're just annoyed that you didn't think of it. Honestly, so am I." Sayomi crossed her arms over her chest and pouted a little at the plan. She tilted her head slightly, scrunching her features in confusion and asked, "What's a shish kebab?"

"Not a very palatable dish, but I'll take it." Yusuke chimed in, keeping his distance from the trapped monsters. After seeing what they did to his friend, he didn't want to take any chances getting too close.

" _Nyyyarrr!_ " Byakko growled and clenched his hand into a solid fist, his aura igniting like fire. "Heh… You should've let the beasts kill you, human."

"C'mon, whatchoo _really_ got?!" Kuwabara pointed up at Byakko, challenging him. Yusuke stood next to his rival, a huge grin stretching across his face. "Haul your butt down here, furball! It's _your_ turn!"

Byakko brought his claws to his torso, flexing his swollen muscles until his veins were visible. His aura flared around his body as he glared down at his prey and clenched his jaw. "Now you've made me very, very _mad!_ "


	8. Chapter 8

"So much for the _opener!_ " Kuwabara declared, pointing at Byakko. "Your beasts are all tied up! _Your turn, pussycat!_ "

Byakko smashed apart the border wall on his tower. Then he brought his fist up in front of his chest and opened it into a clawed hand. "You've pushed your _luck_ too _far,_ whelp! Fine – I'll come down and _kill you myself!_ "

"Knock off the _comic-book- posturing!_ " Kuwabara exclaimed, swiping his arm down to point to the ground. "Hop down here and let's _get it on!_ "

"Brat…!" Byakko leapt from his perch on the tower and landed just meters from the human fool.

" _Yoicks!_ " Kuwabara yelped as the ground shook beneath his feet. He swung his arms to keep his balance. _Erk… He's waaay bigger up close._

Byakko towered over Kuwabara by at least three or four feet. He growled and pointed his finger at Kuwabara. "I'll warn you right now that your Reiki Sword is _useless!_ _If that's your only weapon of real power, you don't stand a 100-to-1 chance against me!_ "

Kuwabara held up his sword at a downward angle, glaring at the big cat. "Oh yeah?" He crouched his legs a bit then dashed straight on. "Have a _taste_ of it and _then_ we'll see how _useless_ it is!" He brought his sword down across his chest, slashing into Byakko's right side.

"Unh!" Byakko grunted, stepping back from the human.

"Felt _that,_ eh?" Kuwabara taunted as he prepared to strike again.

" _Raaaah!_ " Byakko threw a straight right punch and hit air as Kuwabara side-stepped to the left.

"Here's _another!_ " Kuwabara immediately followed through with an upward slash across the beast's chest.

"Excellent!" Yusuke cheered. "Kuwabara's on the _offensive!_ Size doesn't matter to him in a straight one-on-one!"

"I don't know…" Sayomi muttered quietly to herself. _I understand why he wants to do this, but surely he understands just how strong these demons really are. He's still a human._

"And _another!_ " Kuwabara shouted, slicing across Byakko's torso directly.

"Something's wrong…" Kurama noted.

"Yeah." Hiei and Sayomi agreed simultaneously. Sayomi shifted her eyes to the short demon as he explained for Yusuke. The boy wasn't noticing what his demonic companions were clearly aware of. "Look at them – their faces. Kuwabara may be scoring the hits, but…"

The group turned back to the fight. Kuwabara was breathing heavily and sweating from the exertion. Byakko was calm, as if Kuwabara hadn't actually been hitting him. Kuwabara's body was still covered in open scratches from the mini-beasts and the sweat was dripping into his wounds.

"… _He's_ the one who's _wearing out!_ " Hiei finished.

"Ding dang it, what's going on?!" Kuwabara pondered to himself. He was having trouble catching his breath. " _None_ of my attacks have _any effect_ on him… while _I'm_ about ready to cave! And… that's _not all!_ " His eyes widened in disbelief. "Am I _seeing_ things, or… did Byakko just _double in size?!_ " The beast was now the size of a single story house and he was overflowing with energy.

"I get it now!" Kurama exclaimed. "Take a look at the _sword!_ "

" _My sword?!_ " Kuwabara brought up his sword to see what the red-head was talking about. He gasped when he noticed that his sword was now less than half its original size. " _It's shrunk!_ "

"Byakko is _sucking up_ Kuwabara's _aura!_ " Yusuke noticed. "And _adding_ it to his own! He's draining Kuwabara dry!"

"Ha ha!" Byakko cackled. "My _secret's_ out! So what? Will you _fight_ me with your _bare hands?!_ "

" _Not hardly!_ " Kuwabara snapped. He began to push more of his energy into his sword until it was at full-length again. "Unh!" He clenched his teeth as his body began to stagger from the strain.

" _Don't do it, Kuwabara!_ " Yusuke shouted across the bridge. "It'll only make him _bigger!_ "

" _Raah!_ " Kuwabara charged, ignoring his rival's protests.

"Fool." Byakko growled, waiting for the inevitable.

" _Geeyah!_ " When Kuwabara's sword penetrated the beast's mouth, the aura began to drain from the teen's body. Despite the danger, he refused to relinquish his weapon. " _Aaaah…_ " Kuwabara yelled until he lacked the energy to even do that much. His sword could no longer maintain a physical form and it disappeared altogether. Kuwabara was in a cold sweat when his eyes rolled back and he fell forward, losing consciousness.

"burp…!" Byakko stood over the human, his stomach bloated from the aura he consumed. _There was more aura in him than I suspected. It's sitting a little heavy in my stomach._

"Unh…" Kuwabara struggled to his feet and summoned his sword. The blade extended only inches from his clenched fist. "Not done…"

"Cripes!" Yusuke shouted. "His sword… it's shrunk to a _dagger!_ "

"Why doesn't he tag out?" Sayomi muttered. _He's only_ human _. There's only so much he can take before he actually dies. I know Yusuke is a special case, but Kuwabara doesn't have any demon ancestry to my knowledge. Kuwabara, just swallow your pride and call it quits already…_

"You're wobbly, boy… Heh heh!" Byakko stalked towards his prey. "Your real ordeal will now begin.

" _Raah!_ " With a right uppercut to the chin, Byakko applied enough force to throw Kuwabara across the arena and into the border wall. "Now for a dose of _slow torture!_ "

"Hack… Urg…!" Kuwabara was coughing blood on his shirt, trying to regain the breath that was knocked out of his body.

"Not again… he can't handle anymore…" Sayomi's mind was assaulted with images of Rando's torturous nature. The sight of Kuwabara's mangled body was enough to make her realize what power could really do, if handled inappropriately. Then again, it wasn't her first experience with abused power.

"Heh heh… I could _use_ some after-dinner exercise." He held up his left fist, clenching it with fervor. "After that, your body will make a nice _dessert._ " He began to make his way to his next meal.

" _His aura's gone!_ " Yusuke yelled, frustrated by his inability to act. " _He can't fight! That idiot's really gonna get his ticket punched this time!_ "

"No!" Kurama denied Yusuke's hopeless claim as he watched the beast. "He has _one_ option! Byakko hasn't grown at all. If Kuwabara's noticed this, well…"

"You don't mean…" Sayomi turned to the red-head, catching on to his plan. "But that's…!"

"…It might amount to _suicide,_ but it's his _last resort!_ If he doesn't pull this off, he _is_ doomed!" Kurama and the others turned their attention back to the fight.

"Unh…" Kuwabara grunted as he tried to stand up from the crater in the wall. His face was covered in purpling bruises. Blood was dripping from his mouth, his left nostril, and just above his right eye. _Funny… After he consumed my aura, he didn't actually_ grow. _He… bloated. Could it be…? Whoa. No time to think. Just gotta take the_ gamble!

"What are you mumbling about?" Byakko asked. "Have you given up and gone into your swan song?" When he got within range, the cat raised his right claw to attack. " _I'll see it doesn't go to waste! Die!_ "

" _Raah!_ " Kuwabara summoned his Reiki Sword again, at full length with energy to spare. _You're gettin'_ all I've got!

" _Huh?!_ " Byakko stopped short, stunned by the sudden burst of aura.

" _You want it?! You got it!_ " Kuwabara charged, thrusting his sword directly into Byakko's gut. The aura from his sword began to crackle and zap wildly on impact.

"Are you _crazy?!_ " Yusuke yelled. "Why are you _giving_ him what he _wants?!_ "

" _Gaah!_ " Kuwabara screamed as his sword evaporated into nothing. "Guh… Urr…" His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he passed out on his stomach.

Sayomi and the others gasped when he collapsed and didn't move. Sayomi clenched her fists and chewed her lip anxiously. _Is he dead?_

"Heh heh heh." Byakko chuckled. "Burrrp. You _are_ crazy. Can't fathom _why_ you'd let me have the last of your aura!"

" _Kuwabara?!_ " Yusuke shouted, trying to rouse his friend. He refused to believe he was dead.

"I'll _tenderize_ him with a few good stomps." Byakko lifted his right foot and began to bring it down on the boy. " _Starting with his head!_ "

" _Stop!_ " Yusuke demanded furiously. " _Now! Or I'll kill you!_ "

" _Wait!_ " Kurama held out his right arm, blocking Yusuke from crossing the narrow bridge. Yusuke looked at Kurama, shocked that he was being held back. "See?! It's starting to _happen!_ "

"Huh?" Yusuke snapped his attention back to the fight, obvious confusion etched in his expression.

"Gug!" Byakko stopped moving, stepping back to maintain his balance as his body began to rumble. " _Whah?!_ " The beast's stomach was gurgling and sparks of the stolen energy began to cut through the surface while he tried to keep everything in.

"Heh… Just as I thought…" Kuwabara grinned smugly at the beast as he struggled to his feet again. He couldn't even stand up straight let alone stay on his feet for long.

" _Kuwabara!_ " Yusuke cheered. "He wasn't down, just _out_ for a second!"

Sayomi sighed heavily in relief, letting go of the breath she didn't realize she was holding.

Kuwabara smirked at the cat's confusion. "Bit of a _glutton_ , ain't ya, puss-puss? Scarfin' up all that _crude, human-flavored aura._ "

" _Guurk?!_ " Suddenly, the aura in Byakko's belly pushed through and escaped, opening a hole in the center. The pressure was enough to send the beast skyrocketing into the air. " _Geeeeeaahhhh!_ " Kuwabara watched and laughed to himself. It was the funniest victory he had ever experienced.

Kurama smiled, amused by the spectacle. "Byakko wasn't expecting to get so much aura out of Kuwabara! It gave him _colic!_ "

"Ha ha ha!" Yusuke laughed out loud, his left hand acting as a visor as he watched the cat whizz around in the air screaming. "Worst case of _gas_ I ever saw! What a _moron!_ "

Sayomi laughed into her hands, trying to ignore the smell but finding the situation too funny to _not_ laugh. "You didn't even know what was going on until the end, Yusuke."

"'Tain't funny, Urameshi. I almost _bought_ it." Kuwabara was standing with his eyes closed and his hands held up to his chest, trying to focus on the energy. "Gotta reabsorb as much of my aura as I can."

" _Gaah!_ " She was cut off when Byakko crashed into a staircase that was protruding from the castle wall. Rubble shot in multiple directions from the hard impact.

"Man! Check out the _fireworks!_ " Yusuke yelled over the noise. " _Scratch another monster!_ " Yusuke and the others crossed the narrow bridge and made their way to Kuwabara. "You okay, Kuwabara?"

"More or less." Kuwabara replied. The cut above his eye was still bleeding so he had to keep it closed. "I've got some of my aura back, so after a bit of a breather, I'll be fine."

"You're gonna need more than that." Sayomi commented as she approached the wounded fighter. She smiled and raised her dark glowing hands to his wounds. She focused on the large scratches from the mini-beasts first. "Good job, Kuwabara. You managed to live through another fight with a demon. You also came out the winner this time."

When she healed the wounds on his face, Kuwabara grabbed her hands and held them between his own. Sayomi blinked in confusion. "Sayomi, I know we had a rocky start, but will you go out with me? I promise I'll protect you with all my heart and strength."

Sayomi blinked at the boy a few times, then turned around to see Yusuke holding in his laughter and failing miserably. Kurama was smiling and looking away in another direction. Hiei was glaring at them coldly and he looked tense, but that seemed to be normal for him. When she turned her attention back to Kuwabara, she noticed his face had gone red and his body temperature had risen. That's when she made the connection. "Oh! I'm sorry. I don't intend to mate with a human. No offense."

Kuwabara's hopeful demeanor crumbled into dejection as he let go of her hands. "No, it's okay. I'm fine."

Yusuke laughed out loud, not bothering to hold it in anymore. "Ha ha ha! You _idiot!_ What about _Botan?!_ " Yusuke wagged his eyebrows suggestively.

"Shut up, Urameshi!" Kuwabara recovered.

Sayomi stepped away from the two as they engaged in another tussle. When she looked up at Kurama, she noticed he had calmed down from his amusement enough to watch the wrestling match. When she glanced at Hiei, she caught him staring at her but he didn't bother looking away. She arched an eyebrow and asked, "May I help you?"

"Hn. It seems you're not a complete fool after all." He closed his eyes, signaling the end of the exchange.

Sayomi bristled at the insult. "What do-?"

"Uh-oh!" Kurama cut her off, drawing everyone's attention. " _Look!_ "

Everyone turned to the rubble and saw Byakko on his feet. His stomach was healed and no longer bloated. He clenched a fist in controlled anger as he glared at the intruders. He refused to be defeated by a mere human, no less.

"Is he immortal?" Yusuke asked no one in particular.

"I'll admit I'm impressed." Byakko relented. "Your tactics were effective." His eyes widened while his pupils dilated in feral rage. "To show my _respect,_ I'll lead you to my chamber… _to the room from Hell!_ " He turned and disappeared into the castle.

"Let's go!" Yusuke ordered, running into the nearest entrance. The team followed him into the castle corridor and entered the only open door. The layout of the hallway changed. Rather than the cool stone bricks that made up the rest of the castle, this material resemble something more like a cave. The sandy floor and the rocky walls turned red from the higher levels of iron.

Sayomi began to sweat in her cloak and the temperature of the floor kept her on the balls of her feet. It had become too hot and she longed for the cooler temperatures of the darker parts of the castle. She pulled up the hood of her cloak to create a veil of cool shadows over her face. It helped with her breathing if nothing else.

"Did I hear that overgrown fleabag right?" Yusuke asked between breaths. "The room from Hell?"

"Seems that way," Sayomi replied. "Certainly _feels_ hot as Hell."

"Whatever it _is,_ it's this way!" Yusuke led the group to the exit at the end of the tunnel. When they made it out, everyone stopped and looked around the room in shock. "What the…?!"

"Where _are_ we?!" Kuwabara grimaced from the heat.

They were on a small ledge that overlooked a pit of boiling lava. Protruding from the lava were numerous pillars with small stone platforms. Byakko stood in the middle of the room on one of the platforms. Yusuke and Kuwabara peered over the ledge at the bubbling lava below, the heat hitting their faces instantly caused them to sweat.

"A _serious_ slice of _Hell,_ all right." Yusuke cringed nervously.

"One _slip_ and it's game over, man." Kuwabara noted, uneasy with the risk.

"Heh heh…" Byakko grinned, reveling in their fear. "This is my _special gaming room._ Quite a sight, isn't it? My favorite touch is the _acid bath_ below! It'll eat you down to your bones!" He extended his left hand, beckoning his challenger forward. "Anyone got the nerve to come down and fight me _now?!_ "

"Room from Hell, huh?" Yusuke rotated his left shoulder, preparing to fight. "Dunno how many of your nine lives are left, but _I'm_ gonna finish 'em all off!" Yusuke was just about to jump to the nearest platform when a hand clamped down on his shoulder, holding him back.

"Hold it." Kuwabara spoke up from behind him, drawing the teen's attention. "He's still mine."

"C'mon, man…" Yusuke didn't want to see his friend go through another near-death beating.

"You fought well, but it's Yusuke's turn." Hiei commented. "Take a break. We'll have use for you later, I think."

"Or I could finish him off for you." Sayomi volunteered. She didn't want to see him killed, especially after she just healed him.

"That would be a pitiful match to witness." Hiei shot down the very idea.

Sayomi glared at him from under her hood, her tone turning cold and challenging. "Why don't _you_ fight him then if you're so strong?"

Kuwabara cut off Hiei before he could answer. "Take a _break?_ No flippin' way! This ain't baseball, shorty. I'm not tossing the ball to a reliever and going to the dugout to sip Gatorade." He stood defiantly, not allowing anyone to replace him. "And no offense, Sayomi, but girls aren't supposed to fight. What kind of a man would I be if I let a girl fight my battles for me?" Sayomi shifted her glare to the human. Kuwabara glared at Byakko, determined to follow through. "I'll see this one out!"

"Hmph." Hiei scoffed at the human boy. "Such irrational creatures…!"

"You better not die." Sayomi growled, annoyed by Kuwabara's sexism. "I just healed you. Don't make it go to waste."

"Stubborn son of a…" Yusuke sighed, irked by his rival.

"He kind of reminds me of you." Kurama teased, smiling at the detective.

"Well?" Byakko called out from the center of the pit. "What's the hold-up? _Scared?_ "

Kuwabara ground his teeth, annoyed by the beast's taunting. He glared at Byakko, wagging his finger for emphasis. "Shut yer yap, moron! I'll be right down! _Hiyah!_ "

With a single leap, Kuwabara jumped down from the ledge and landed on the nearest platform just below. However, when he landed, his sudden weight was enough to crack the portion of stone he was standing on and the chunk of rock began to plummet down to the lava.

" _Urk?!_ " Kuwabara's eyes bugged out of the sockets and he clenched his teeth, fear stunning him for a moment. " _Grraarrr!_ " He began running in the air, using the falling rocks as a point to kick upward until he was able to cling to the edge of the remaining platform. " _Urg!_ Phew!" Kuwabara sighed in relief when the stone proved stable enough to hold his weight.

"That… was close." He looked down below him, clenching his teeth nervously. His face was pale and the heat of the room was enough to cover him in sweat. He was lucky he wasn't losing his grip. "Not a great start to this round."

"Hey!" Yusuke crouched down and glared at his friend. "We can _still switch!_ "

Kuwabara climbed to the top of the pillar and glared up at Yusuke. "No way! That was just a _dramatic flourish!_ " He turned his attention back to his opponent and removed his jacket, tossing it aside near his feet. He was bare underneath except for some bandages that wrapped around his torso. "Okay, whiskers, let's get _down to it!_ I'll _finish_ you this time!"

Byakko reached up to grasp his throat with both hands. He began to gag and choke as energy seemed to gather at his mouth. " _Kuh-kuh-kaaaaack!_ " Yusuke and the others watched, weary about what the beast was doing. "Gluuurk." Byakko smirked at Kuwabara, who could only watch from his platform across the chamber. "Oh, yes, I'm a cat! Wanna see my version of a hairball? _Hork!_ " Byakko coughed up an electric ball of energy from the back of his throat, hurling it straight at his opponent.

"Eh?!" Kuwabara summoned his Reiki Sword and positioned himself to swing his sword like a baseball bat. "What a _pathetic_ pitch!" Kuwabara smirked, confident he could hit it. "I'll send it back at'cha with a Teikyo High two-run walk-off homer!"

"Look out!" Kurama warned. " _Don't swing_ at that! _Jump off that pylon! Hurry!_ "

Kuwabara was able to hear the red-head's protest and trusted his word enough to listen. "Sure, but why?" He leapt to a neighboring pillar just before the energy blast could reach him. As soon as the attack connected with the pillar, there was a static charge around the platform before the whole pillar itself disintegrated to ashes. " _Yikes!_ " Kuwabara grimaced when he realized that could've been him.

"See that?!" Byakko yelled. " _My Tiger Shatter Scream!_ It reduces _anything_ it hits to _dust!_ "

"I'd heard of a demon who could produce sonic blasts that shatter molecular bonding! It's _Byakko?_ " Hiei was tense because of the beast's reputation. Not to mention that a human was the one fighting him. "The only defense is to _avoid getting hit!_ "

" _Hork! Hork!_ " Byakko coughed up two more blasts, aiming for Kuwabara.

" _Whoa!_ " Kuwabara was able to make it to another pillar as the one he was on became nonexistent.

"Ha ha! Keep dodging! You'll soon run out of _space!_ " Byakko coughed up blast after blast, purposely missing the human and destroying the platforms within his immediate reach.

"Crap!" Kuwabara realized the cat's plan too late. He was trapped on an isolated platform like a sitting duck.

"Heh heh." Byakko chuckled. He pointed at Kuwabara, driving his words home. "What's the matter? _Plenty_ of platforms over here! You'd just have to jump two meters _farther_ than Carl Lewis! _Without a running start_ , ha ha ha!"

"Grr!" Kuwabara growled at the beast. He had to think of something quick.

"Kuwabara's no Carl Lewis!" Yusuke exclaimed. "The other platforms might as well be on the moon!"

"And he can't exactly jump onto the remnants of the destroyed pillars." Sayomi commented. "They would be too close to the heat and it would leave him vulnerable when he can't jump back up."

"Nothing to say? Speechless in the face of death?" Byakko taunted. He reached up with his right arm, clenching his fist. Between each finger, a sharp needle of energy extended like claws. He then threw the needles at Kuwabara with full force. "Try _begging_ for your _life!_ Or _wetting_ your pants! Perhaps I'll show mercy… or not!"

" _Yaah!_ " Kuwabara held up his sword to block along with his left arm. The energy needles sliced through his defense and cut into his legs, arms, and torso, almost knocking him off his feet. "unh!" Kuwabara held his ground as he bled from the various cuts on his body.

"After the trouble I went through to heal him…" Sayomi muttered to herself.

"I'm done with you." Byakko growled quietly. "Time for you to go to Hell."

Kuwabara clenched his fist, preparing for the attack he knew was coming. Byakko reached up to grasp his throat again, preparing another scream. " _Hraack! Die!_ " He coughed up another blast of energy and hurled it towards his target.

Kuwabara had released his sword, waiting just long enough before he made his move. _Dammit… I'm cooked… But he's goin' down_ with _me…!_ " _Raaah!_ " Kuwabara cried at the top of his lungs.

"He's gonna _jump!_ " Hiei noticed in disbelief.

" _Kuwabara!_ " Yusuke shouted in protest.

Ignoring their shouts, Kuwabara sprang from his platform. He was reaching for a good platform that was twice the distance away than normal. The pillar that was closest to him had already been eviscerated. Just as the blast destroyed the platform he was just using, Kuwabara began to lose altitude. He was just a foot or two away from grabbing the edge before he began to fall down to the lava pit below.

" _Nooo!_ " Yusuke yelled.

" _Ha ha!_ " Byakko laughed, grinning from ear to ear. " _A mere five meters short! And the rest of you will soon follow…_ _Huh?!_ " Byakko stopped short when he saw the human hurling up to his own platform with a smug grin on his face. " _It can't be!_ "

Sayomi and the boys gasped when they noticed his Reiki Sword planted into the remains of a broken pillar. Kuwabara had pole-vaulted with his sword to launch himself up at Byakko.

"Clever!" Byakko complimented nervously. "Using his sword as a _vaulting pole!_ "

" _Like it or not, fuzz butt, Hell's waitin' for both of us!_ " Kuwabara pulled back his right arm and used the force of his jump to punch Byakko directly across his left cheek. " _Die!_ "

"Gah!" Byakko gasped when he was knocked off balance, falling backwards off the edge of his platform.

"Waah!" Kuwabara yelled, noticing that he was still propelling forward over the edge with the beast.

Yusuke gasped, speechless when he heard the splash and sizzle of burning flesh. Air bubbles floated to the surface for a moment before ceasing altogether. " _Kuwabara!_ "

Sayomi snuck a glance at Yusuke, feeling guilty for not taking over the fight when she had the chance. _He shouldn't have come with us. This was a matter for demons, not a human._

The team searched the pit for any sign that the human had survived. Yusuke began to shake with anger and regret. "Kuwabara… He… He can't…!"

Hiei noticed movement just out of sight behind one of the pillars. He pointed towards the movement to direct Yusuke's attention. "Look! Over _there!_ See?"

"Huh?!" Yusuke turned his teary face to the direction Hiei was pointing to. Just around the pillar, he could see a figure just hanging off the edge. "Kuwabara!"

"Don't just _stand_ there, morons… Gimme a hand!" Kuwabara was hanging from one of the bandages that had snagged on a sharp edge. He was grasping the makeshift lifeline with one hand while his other hand was reaching up, trying to pull himself up without tearing the fabric.

" _Waahooo!_ " Yusuke cheered, leaping down from the ledge. "Saved by a _snag!_ "

Sayomi, Kurama, and Hiei followed after the detective. They had to take the long way around since the direct path was destroyed in the fight. By the time they made it across, Yusuke was already pulling up his rival from over the edge. Once he was safe, Yusuke struck him over the head several times.

"You scared the _livin' spit_ outta me! I thought you'd bought it for _sure!_ " Yusuke scolded his classmate. "Why didn't you holler _sooner,_ ya dumb jerk?!"

"Ow ow ow!" Kuwabara waved his arms, trying to block the teen's abuse. "Knock it off, idiot! You'll drop me in the acid for _real!_ "

"You have the most remarkable luck." Hiei commented. "Care to go up against _another_ demon?"

"No!" Kuwabara glared down at Hiei, shaking his clenched fist and growling in annoyed anger. "That's it for me! I'm done!"

"Good." Sayomi chimed in. "Maybe now if I heal you, you won't put my efforts to waste." She kneeled beside him and got to work on the multiple cuts all over his body. They weren't as severe as the first round, but blood loss was still a burden they couldn't tolerate.

"All righty!" Yusuke yelled. "Now I get _my_ shot!"

"Glory hound." Kuwabara muttered to himself.


	9. Chapter 9

"Which door should we take, Kuwabara?" Yusuke looked to his friend standing to his left.

"Hmm…" Kuwabara brought his right finger up to tap his temple while his left hand supported his elbow. He was concentrating on the doors surrounding them. The team had made it to a dead-end chamber with only one chance to guess the best path. "Second one from the right!"

"Second from the right it is." Yusuke grinned, staring at the door in question.

"I dunno." Hiei hesitated, not trusting the foolish one. "You sure about this?"

"Heh!" Kuwabara smirked down at the short demon. "Doping out mazes and traps is my forte!"

"It's true." Sayomi spoke up from behind the boys. "He was the first one to make it through Master Genkai's forest without running into any trouble. His sixth sense is _way_ more credible than Yusuke's."

"Damn skippy, it is!" Yusuke agreed, pushing the door open. Behind the door, there was another dark corridor.

Sayomi sighed and shifted her vision to infrared, just in case. Besides a couple rats and cobwebs, it didn't look too dangerous. _Not bad, Kuwabara._ She smirked in the boy's direction as she gave the okay. "Coast looks clear. Watch your step just in case."

Kuwabara took the lead and Yusuke followed in after him. Since the young psychic could see in the dark, Sayomi didn't mind letting him lead. Yusuke would need the extra eyes. Kurama Followed behind the detective, leaving Hiei and Sayomi to lag behind. Hiei made it a point to ignore her completely. Sayomi kept her eyes ahead, but she made sure he was still in her peripheral. It wasn't long before they reached the end.

"Phew! Pretentious décor here." Yusuke observed, casually making his way up a short set of stairs. At the top of the small stairway was a large set of steel doors, bordered with a bronze pattern. Guarding the large double doors were a pair of large, bronze dragon statues. The dragon to the left was posed in a frozen roar, showing off sharp teeth and reaching out with an open claw. The dragon to the right was more passive, its neck curling down to glare at the intruders. Both had massive wings and their tails wrapped around their stone platforms.

Kuwabara was looking around curiously with his hands in his pockets. Kurama had stopped at the base of the steps, looking up at the doors in worry. Hiei examined the statues in distaste, dubbing them worthless. Sayomi rolled her eyes at his thieving nature and followed Yusuke up the stairs.

"This must be Seiryu's chamber." Kurama explained, warning the detective. "A demonic aura's leaking out, more _potent_ than the others!"

"I'll say!" Kuwabara agreed, crossing his arms over his chest as he shivered. "Goose-bump city!"

"Only way to go is forward." Sayomi pointed out as she helped Yusuke push the heavy doors open. They dragged open with a loud creak.

"Eh?!" Yusuke gasped, startled by the demon in the chamber. The freezing aura was emitting from the beast.

"Master Suzaku finds your petty activities highly vexing." His voice was deep and strict, and he stood tall with his hands resting behind his back. "This is as far as you go."

His skin was tinted a pale shade of blue, accented with his black goatee. His black hair spiked upwards from under his royal blue, dragon-scaled Chinese hat. His tunic and gi matched his blue hat, accented with a red trim and a white sash that tied at his waist. A light blue dragon wrapped around his tunic with its head draping over his right shoulder, the spikes of the embroidered beast acting as spikes on his shoulders. The long sleeves of his undershirt matched the dark blue tint of his martial arts pants. Black martial arts shoes covered his feet.

"I'll kill you all, after I've torn you _limb from_ limb. Heh heh heh." His murderous glare was cold enough to send shivers down Sayomi's spine.

"We've heard that _before_ , skank!" Kuwabara flexed his muscles, brushing off the beast's threat.

Sayomi shot a glare of her own in the boy's direction. "You are _not_ going to open those wounds _again_."

"Yes, ma'am." Kuwabara stepped back, but tried to keep up his intimidating face.

"Hmm." Sayomi turned her attention back to the beast, instantly on guard, as he spoke. "We have… an uninvited guest."

The group froze, quieting their very breath in order to listen. Yusuke looked confused while everyone around him could sense the aura signature. It didn't take long for Sayomi, Kurama, and Hiei to catch a muffled shuffling sound. As it got closer, the human boys began to pick up on it as well.

"Something… dragging along…" Kuwabara noted.

"It's coming from down the hall." Hiei alerted them. Everyone turned back to face the doors behind them, preparing for an ambush.

When the heavy doors creaked open, Byakko was barely holding himself up. His fur was singed and his clothing was falling away in tatters as he moved. One of his eyes could barely open. Smoke was still rising from the burns covering the beast's body from head to foot. Even his tail was missing. "H-help meeee!"

" _Byakko?!_ " Yusuke shouted in surprise.

"S-Seiryu!" The teens moved out of the beast's way as he shuffled towards his ally, wheezing with the effort. "P-please, I need some energy… I'll _repay_ you once I'm stronger…"

"Gawd, he's still _alive?!_ " Kuwabara whispered, his body breaking into a nervous sweat.

"Too much, man." Yusuke glared at the beast, annoyed with his persistence.

"Damn it." Sayomi sighed, glancing at Kuwabara. _Don't you_ dare _try to fight him…_

"Fool." The team looked back to Seiryu. "You are ridiculous… and a _failure._ "

"Seiryu!" Byakko begged for assistance.

"You are of no further use. In fact you're an _eyesore._ " Seiryu shifted his arms in a fluid motion, extending his left arm like a three-clawed dragon and pulling back his right fist. His feet gradually widened as he braced himself, his aura beginning to shift and drop in temperature.

"Wait—that stance…" Byakko took a couple weary steps back, trying to plead for mercy. "Please… _Don't!_ "

"Fall to the _Ghostly Ice Fist!_ " With a shout, Seiryu threw his right fist forward. Within moments, Byakko was frozen into solid ice.

" _Whoa!_ " Yusuke shouted, taken off guard by Seiryu's abilities.

" _Aaah! Haah!_ " Seiryu jumped and delivered a solid kick at the tiger's frozen body. The frozen beast shattered into cold shards and chunks.

"Holeee…" Kuwabara paled at the display.

"He _killed_ one of his _fellow beasts!_ " Yusuke growled angrily.

"Uhh…" Byakko's frozen head had rolled off to the side of the chamber.

"Heh…" Seiryu regained his relaxed and confident composure. "I laid 100 freezing punches at near absolute zero on him. No one, save Master Suzaku, can dodge such an assault."

"Seiryu… Why…?" Byakko struggled to speak before he coughed up some blood.

"You've proven yourself weak and worthless. In short, you're a _loser._ " To add insult to injury, Seiryu spat at the feline's head before his final breath.

"Uhh…" Byakko felt stunned and shed a tear before passing away.

Yusuke growled angrily at Seiryu. His veins began to pulse against his forehead and his eyes promised death.

"They have no sense of camaraderie." Kurama calmly explained. His eyes betrayed his disapproval. "They're driven solely by greed and hunger."

"He's lower than the gutter imps outside." Sayomi glared at the beast. She could feel her aura shift with her anger. She didn't bother with her breathing exercises. "Even _they_ had the decency to help their wounded escape."

"I wanted to destroy him, but this is weird… _wrong!_ " Kuwabara glared at the beast. He began to tremble with rage rather than from the cold. "He deserved _better…_ and I swear he'll _get_ it!"

"Right on, Kuwabara!" Yusuke agreed, preparing to jump in. "And I'll do the _honors!_ "

"Wait, Yusuke." Everyone stopped and turned to see Hiei. He was glaring straight at the beast. The aura he gave off was murderous. "Save that rage for later. You'll _need_ it for Suzaku."

"But…" Yusuke stared at the demon, taken off guard. Kuwabara and Kurama watched the exchange silently.

"Hey." Sayomi stepped forward, shifting her glare from Seiryu to Hiei. "If you don't kill him, I'm taking over. We don't need a repeat of the last match."

Hiei glared back at her. "You won't even be needed after this fight." He proceeded to face Seiryu at the center of the chamber.

"Heh heh heh." Seiryu chuckled, bringing his arms down. His aura blew harshly around the two fighters, chilling the room even more.

Suddenly, Hiei grabbed his cloak and swiftly pulled it off. He was left in just his double-belted black pants and boots. He had a simple _katana_ sheathed behind his back. Keeping his eyes on Seiryu, he flung the fabric towards Byakko's detached head. It landed quietly over the deceased fighter.

"What's this?" Seiryu smirked, amused with his opponent's display. "A sentimental gesture? From _you?_ I'd understood you to be like us – _ruthless_ to the core."

Hiei's glare grew darker and even more deadly. Sayomi couldn't help wondering about it herself. _Isn't he like them? Not long ago, he was threatening to let us die, yet…_

"I've never seen Hiei like _this_ before." Sayomi and the other two boys turned their attention to Kurama. He was watching Hiei, analyzing his actions and gauging his energy. "He's just as Seiryu described… or was. Yet he seems truly upset by what Seiryu's done. Self-interest is not what moves him now, and it bewilders him… What it means I can't say, but the battle aura surrounding him is the _strongest_ I've ever felt!"

Sayomi and the others turned their attention back to the fight. She could almost hear her own heartbeat as she watched Seiryu's energy begin to pick up around the two fighters. The room grew colder as a harsh wind began to pick up. She pulled up her hood and clenched her cloak shut, hoping to shield herself from the gale. Her feet weren't so lucky. She could feel the stone frosting over from the freezing mildew. She began to breathe deeply into her core repeatedly to distract her from the cold. _Please let this be a quick one…_

"I'll crush you." Seiryu declared, naturally falling back into his stance. Hiei merely leaned back and crouched on his left leg, preparing to draw his weapon. Despite his lack of a shirt, he didn't seem bothered by the cold at all. Seiryu glared when he realized how calm his opponent was and he growled angrily. "Die!"

Just before Seiryu could throw the first punch, Hiei dashed forward, drawing his sword and slicing through the beast in one swift strike. The beast's torso had been severed at the waist and the top half fell into several smaller pieces, landing in an expanding pool of blood. Hiei had sheathed his sword the moment he finished his attack. He glared over his shoulder and coldly said, "May I never see _your_ face again."

"D-didya see that?! Flippin' _awesome!_ " Kuwabara's pupils had dilated and his jaw hung open from the shock of the match. He hunched over with his arms hanging limp.

"Heh…" Kurama smiled, one hand in his pocket while his other blocked some of the dying wind. "I saw… but lost track after the first stroke."

"I have to revise my opinion of the li'l runt." Kuwabara admitted.

"Hiei, the Flying Shadow…" Sayomi whispered to herself quietly. _It's because of his speed… I guess he's_ not _one of my kind after all. I suppose Yusuke really_ was _lucky about the mirror getting him from a blind spot. I just hope he doesn't turn on us after this is over. He would be a dangerous enemy for sure._

"Wow!" Yusuke cheered, running up to his comrade. "That was _amazing,_ Hiei! You laid him out in _one go!_ "

"How many cuts?" Kurama inquired.

"Sixteen."

" _Sixteen!_ " Yusuke grinned from ear to ear at the number. "Man, I only caught _eight!_ "

"Your eyes are better than mine, Yusuke." Kurama relented, smiling at the teen.

"That guy was filleted before I even blinked…" Kuwabara mumbled, annoyed that he missed out.

"I'm actually with Kurama on this one. I only saw the main cut. The rest was just a quick blur." Sayomi sighed at her own lack of skill, then a thought occurred to her. _Wait a minute…_

"You're _fast,_ Hiei!" Yusuke approached the swordsman cheerfully. "You could beat me hands down in a rematch, I bet!"

"Well… Maybe." Hiei turned away from Yusuke to retrieve his cloak.

"Huh?" Yusuke watched Hiei, confused. "I don't get it. I thought he'd agree outright."

"Or at least insult you." Sayomi muttered darkly, pulling down her hood as the winds died down.

"He's changed since he's come here." Kurama clarified. "You may be a good influence on him."

"Leave it to Yusuke to have such a positive influence on a criminal." Sayomi smirked up at charge, lightly punching his arm.

"Hey!" Yusuke rubbed his arm good-naturedly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Only that you make a good, influential leader." Sayomi could see her master's traits in the boy already. They weren't exactly the same, but there were some traits she found respectful in her charge.

"Don't sell yourself so short, Sayomi." She looked over at the red-head curiously tilting her head. "You have also given him quite a bit to think about concerning his way of living, and your sudden alliance with Yusuke puzzles him since it seems it is by choice rather than by force."

Sayomi couldn't think of anything to say in response. All she did was defend Yusuke from a potential threat. _He_ seemed to be the one confusing _her_ with his sudden change in character. _One moment he's insulting us, the next moment he's_ helping _us. I don't even know if he's_ trustworthy _at this point. He says one thing, then goes and does the complete_ opposite _. He also potentially saved Yusuke from a similar fate to Byakko…_

"—Leaving."

Sayomi snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a voice raise behind her. She looked around the chamber and noticed the open door, but no other occupants besides the two demon corpses and Hiei. She stepped back and quickly faced him instinctively. Trustworthy or not, he just showed her a glimpse of what he could do. He was still dangerous. "What was that?"

He sighed, annoyed from her lack of attention. "I said they're leaving. Unless you would rather freeze to death, I suggest you hurry up."

She glared at him and stood her ground, refusing to show her discomfort. "What's keeping you from just leaving me behind?"

"Kurama told me to snap you out of your stupid trance. Now are you going or not?" He glared at her, daring her to challenge him.

"Do you always do what Kurama tells you?" Sayomi crossed her arms, taunting him.

Hiei's glare intensified. Sayomi's body tensed, freezing her in place. She could hardly breathe, afraid of triggering his wrath. "I'm going to forget you asked such a ludicrous question and insist on leaving you here to rot if you don't get moving."

Sayomi tensed under his gaze and made her way to the stairs leading up. However, she kept her glare on him and her movements were deliberately unthreatening. She refused to turn her back to him. When she made it to the door, she stopped. "I hope you'll excuse me if I find you too dangerous to walk behind me."

Hiei smirked at her subdued nature and casually walked through the door with his hands resting in his pockets. Sayomi took a few deep breaths to calm her speeding heart. She was afraid of him, and he knew it. There was no hiding it at this point. All she could do was swallow her nerves and make her way up the stairs.

She focused on her breathing the whole way up. She made sure to keep Hiei just within sight without getting too close. She tried to ignore her unease until a more appropriate time to deal with it. She only hoped they could survive the ordeal.

Once with the group, she made it a point to ignore Hiei completely. She refused to see the smug look on his face or the superiority in his eyes. Instead, she kept her focus on keeping up with the group as they ran down the corridor.

" _One_ enemy left, guys!" Yusuke noted as he led the group.

"Right!" Kuwabara agreed.

"Let's make it _quick!_ Gotta get back to the city!" Yusuke was determined to finish his mission and make it home safely. When he heard a high-pitched beeping sound coming from his pocket, he reached to answer it, keeping up his pace. "Yeah?!"

"It's Botan! I've got _news!_ " Sayomi could only hear the reaper's worried voice from behind the group. She sounded urgent, if not worried. "I'm at your school, I've got Keiko with me, and we're _surrounded_ by bug-infested _maniacs!_ "

Yusuke instantly stopped running and the others mimicked him. Kuwabara looked over the detective's shoulder to try to see what was happening on the tiny screen. Sayomi thought back to girl she had met when she first came to the city with Yusuke. She could see the emotions flickering through Yusuke's eyes at the thought of her being in danger.

"They're clearly after Keiko with _murder_ on their minds!" Botan explained, trying to keep her voice down.

"Get _out_ of there!" Yusuke's expression darkened as he glared down at the tiny screen.

"We will! You get that _whistle!_ Fast!" Botan urged, desperation coloring her tone.

" _Look out!_ " Sayomi gasped quietly when she heard Keiko's shout in the background. Then, the communicator cut to static white noise.

" _Hey!_ " Yusuke shouted at the mirror. "Botan, what happened?! _Botan!_ " He dropped the useless device into his pocket and took off at a mad sprint. " _Aargh!_ Time's running out! Gotta _finish_ this!"

Sayomi and the others ran to keep up with him. With a quick glance at Hiei, she decided to ignore the guy and made her way to Yusuke. He was glaring ahead, clenching his teeth as he charged. Nothing she could say would snap him out of his rage. Keiko was even more important to him than she thought. Based on what he had told her, she was his only friend growing up. She was the one he risked his virtue to save when he was a ghost. She was the one who donated her energy to bring him back. Their bond was so strong it transcended worlds. If anything happened to her, Yusuke would go ballistic.

Sayomi shifted her eyes ahead of her, determination and adrenaline pumping her legs to go faster. _If anything happens to Keiko, he'll lose it. I need to make it part of my job to make sure she makes it out of this mess alive and well. Otherwise, there's no telling what he'll do._

When they made it to the end of the tunnel, Sayomi and the boys found themselves on the roof of the main portion of the castle. There was a strong wind and lightning flashed in the dark sky. The large tower was across the roof with a single set of doors at its base. On either side of the tower's base, there were two doorways that seemed to descend into stairs. Windows adorned the mid-wall of the tower and at the top was a rounded chamber. Sayomi could make out a few wires hanging from the chamber with hooks at the end and a lightning rod on top of the chamber's roof.

"That's it! That _tower!_ " Kuwabara shouted.

"The big _boss's chamber_ is at the top!" Yusuke agreed.

"Huh?!" The two boys froze when they spotted movement.

Sayomi, Kurama, and Hiei glared ahead at the creatures ascending from the two open doorways. There were dozens, if not hundreds, of them coming from the doorways. They were groaning and stumbling along at a snail's pace, dripping water from their seaweed-like bodies. They even smelled as bad as a sewer.

"What the hell are _those_ things?!" Yusuke yelled, frustrated with the obstacle.

"They're known as production-model hominids." Sayomi answered. "Even though they are humanoid in form, they are mindless creatures. They may be slow, but they are known to obey their masters without question."

"There's a _zillion_ of 'em!" Yusuke yelled. "It'll take _forever_ to fight our way through all that!"

"Yes, that will take time we do not have." Kurama pointed out.

"And like scarecrows, they feel no pain or fear." Hiei informed the rest of the group.

"This Suzaku character's a real _sick-o!_ " Kuwabara growled through clenched teeth. "We gotta save Yukimura, and he throws _this_ crap at us?!"

"That's what _he_ thinks!" Yusuke yelled, pissed off and charging his right fist. "I'll finish this bunch off with a _Gatling gun_ volley of _Reiki!_ "

"Hold on! Don't _expend_ yourself!" Kurama grasped Yusuke's shoulder, holding him back. "Lose your cool and you'll play right into Suzaku's hands!"

Yusuke glared at the red-head and argued. "But there's _no other way_ to get through!"

"Maybe there is." Yusuke froze at Hiei's claim. "Look up there. See that open window?"

"What?" Yusuke turned back to the tower.

"Leave it to a thief to look for open windows." Sayomi muttered under her breath.

"Jeez, Hiei, we're not _grasshoppers!_ " Yusuke cringed at the height of the window. It was easily over fifty feet up the tower wall. "None of us could possibly jump that high!"

"Not from here, no!" Hiei proceeded to explain his plan.

Kuwabara grunted and he began to sweat under the strain of weight. He was standing in a horse stance, bracing his arms firmly on his spread legs. Kneeling on his shoulders was Kurama, who was taking care not to open his wound. On the red-head's shoulders, Hiei stood perfectly balanced despite the wind. Sayomi kneeled on Hiei's shoulders, grasping his hair with one hand while the other braced itself on her leg. She smirked to herself when she heard him growl at her for grabbing his hair.

"You okay?" Kurama asked, concerned for Kuwabara's condition.

"Why me? Why me all the time?" Kuwabara grumbled.

"It _has_ to be you, Kuwabara." Sayomi spoke down from her perch. "Kurama is too injured and I doubt Hiei will let you climb over him. It's Yusuke's turn to fight and when _I_ offered, you volunteered because I'm a girl so it's your own fault."

"Okay, hold on! Here we _go!_ " Kuwabara charged ahead in a choppy run. The demons on his back were able to stay balanced despite the wind resistance. "You've got one shot! Make it _count,_ Urameshi!"

"That's the _plan!_ " Yusuke shouted, running not too far behind. " _Hup! Hup!_

" _Hoh!_ " Just before they ran into the demon horde, Yusuke jumped up. As he stepped on each back, the ladder began to tilt forward, quickly losing height. By the time he jumped off Sayomi's back, they were already preparing to jump off. Before their ladder last too much altitude, Yusuke managed to leap just far enough to grasp the base of the window.

" _Urrgh!_ " He clung to the wall with all his strength, using his legs to crouch against the wall. He pushed up with his legs and pulled himself over the window ledge.

"I'll be twonked! It _worked!_ " Kuwabara cheered, punching a hominid to the ground as he grinned up at Yusuke.

Once secured in the window, Yusuke looked down and grinned over his shoulder. "You _bet_ it did! Thanks guys! If we get back alive, lunch is on me!"

Hiei smirked up at the detective. Kurama waved his hand in farewell with a pleasant smile. Sayomi gave him a two-finger salute, smirking up at him.

"We'll hold you to that!" Kuwabara called up, grinning up at his friend.

With a final thumbs up and smirk of his own, Yusuke disappeared into the castle. Sayomi watched him until he was out of sight. Then she turned to glare at the horde of mindless seaweed zombies. _Don't worry, Yusuke. I'll be right behind you._


	10. Chapter 10

Once Yusuke had made it into the tower, the horde of hominids had encroached on Sayomi and the boys. Kuwabara was punching them with brute force, choosing not to expend his spirit energy. Kurama had summoned his Rose Whip and was keeping a wide circle of space between himself and the demons. Hiei was flitting from one spot to another, cutting through the creatures with his _katana_.

Sayomi smirked in anticipation and reached behind her back for her _kusarigama_. She didn't bother taking deep breaths. Instead, she let the adrenaline fill her body as she focused the shadows to sharpen the edge of the blade. She laughed out loud as she side-stepped each creature and cut through the swamp-heads, leaving a short trail of darkness with every slash. She found herself spinning around Kuwabara, dodging his punches and using his momentum to propel her in another direction.

"Is she okay?!" Kuwabara called out, punching a zombie into another one behind it.

Kurama cracked his whip at a trio of demons that had tried to get behind him. He watched the girl momentarily, smiling to himself at the sight. "She looks just fine, Kuwabara. She seems to be enjoying herself, in fact."

"We're fighting for our _lives_ and she thinks it's _fun?!_ " Kuwabara watched the girl wearily, elbowing a demon behind him.

"If you can call that fighting." Hiei spoke easily despite his quick movements. "She's more like a child playing with a new toy."

Ignoring the insult, Sayomi continued to weave through the demons, leaving a trail of bodies in her wake. _They just don't_ get it _. They all seemed to have grown up fighting. I wasn't even allowed to watch the monks_ train _. Well, that's gonna change right now._

Glaring ahead, all sense of merriment vanished from her expression. "That's because unlike _you_ _guys_ …" Sayomi kicked a hominid in the leg, breaking the shin, pulled the seaweed-like hair back, and decapitated the thing. "…I wasn't even _allowed_ to _learn_. Didn't stop me from sneaking lessons when I could. I just never had the chance to really apply it to anything."

When she was grabbed from behind, she used the creature's momentum to push over the beast until it fell backwards, hitting its head on the stone floor, and slackening its hold. Sayomi rolled with the fall and landed in a crouch, her sickle stabbing between the creature's eyes and curving up through the crown. When she pulled through, it was just a mess of weeds and dirty water.

Kuwabara cringed at the sight and tried to keep himself from throwing up. He focused on his own opponents, throwing one off his back. _She's just as scary as the rest of them… Are_ all _demons this crazy?_

"So you're not _completely_ useless, at least." Hiei appeared behind Sayomi, slicing through a demon before it could attack her.

Sayomi glared at the thief, and then shifted her gaze to the demon he killed. When she looked back up at him, she dashed forward and raised her sickle to attack. The scythe came down and squelched as it pierced a demon's head that was behind Hiei. Sayomi glared directly at Hiei's unwavering glower, refusing to back down.

"I guess we're even now, huh?" Sayomi commented, setting her fear aside for the sake of surviving.

"Hn." Hiei grunted, followed by the death of another demon that was coming from behind Sayomi to the right. "Not even close." He disappeared from her sight, leaving her with the corpses as they cleared the first wave.

Sayomi was about to retort when there was an explosion from the roof of the tower. She shot her attention to the rising smoke and growled, clenching her weapon anxiously. _If we don't hurry, it'll be too late…_

"We've gotta find some way to get to Urameshi!" Kuwabara stated, panting heavily from the physical exertion.

"Yes, Kuwabara. I have a strong sense that he needs our help." Kurama agreed with a grim smile. He was taking a brief moment to catch his own breath.

Hiei simply grunted in an affirmative as he raised his sword to prepare for the next wave.

Sayomi was breathing heavily, annoyed by the seemingly endless stream of demons that marched through the doors. _There's gotta be a way to end this sooner. I could just avoid all this and follow Yusuke into the tower, but then what if the others become too overwhelmed? I know they're not weak, but even_ they _have limits._

"I hope you guys are behind me!" Kuwabara shouted, running strait for the demons.

"Damn it all!" Sayomi growled, chasing after him with the others. She noticed that Kurama was still trying to be careful with his wound as he ran. While she was able to seal the wound shut to prevent blood loss, she wasn't able to fully heal him without using too much energy too soon. Hiei seemed as fine as he did from the start of the mission.

While charging towards the horde, Sayomi popped open the small compartment in her sickle's handle. She held on to the weighted end until the chain caught from inside the chamber. She wrapped the chain taut around her elbow as she ran, making sure it was out of the way and ready to use.

When she caught up to Kuwabara, he was already throwing punch after punch at the mindless creatures. She took position behind him, twirling the chain to keep the beasts from getting too close. As the chain spun, it left a thick ray of darkness that solidified into a barrier. "You shouldn't be so reckless, Kuwabara. You won't be any help to Yusuke if you end up passing out from over-exertion."

"Heh heh heh. It's gonna take a lot more'n these creeps to beat me! I ain't quittin' until we wipe 'em all out!" Every punch he threw at the demons managed to be critical enough to keep them down, but then more would take their place.

"True, as taxing as it may be." Kurama spoke up from his side of the battle. He swung his whip in such a way to guarantee hitting multiple opponents with less effort. "While at the moment there seems to be no near end to this, there should only be a finite amount of disposable pawns. Our only concern is whether or not we fall before we reach that end."

As the zombies continued their stumbling assault, Sayomi could feel her limbs grow heavy. She was sweating and breathing more heavily than before. Compared to the others, she felt like she would drop her weapon if she slackened the tiniest bit in her grip. Twirling the chain to keep the barrier up, she took advantage of the small break. _Well this sucks. I'm already feeling tired! I suppose some of it has to do with healing, but this is more tiring than it looks. I'm feeling sore in places I didn't even know_ existed _until now. I'm just grateful that they're so slow…_

Sayomi was pulled from her thoughts when she felt something wet against her back. Startled, she jumped back and spun on her feet, bringing up her scythe to reap the hominid. Once she finished off the surprise enemy, she searched the crowd for Kuwabara. _Where did he go_ this _time?!_

"We'll _never_ get up there." She heard his gruff voice from the center of the battle. "Hold on! I'm comin', Urameshi! Sword get longer!"

She heard his shout before she saw him use his Reiki sword to vault up to the window. She cringed and turned away before she heard him crash into the castle wall. When she turned back, she saw his body had slammed just below the window that Yusuke had climbed through. His sword vanished from his grasp as his body began to slide down. Before he could slide too far, he managed to cling to the cracks with his fingertips.

"Kuwabara!" Kurama called when he noticed the spectacle. "What are you doing?!"

"If I knew you were gonna try to ditch us, I would've left a long time ago!" Sayomi growled at the boy.

"Hn. And you accused _me_ of being devious." Hiei commented, taking a moment to break from the fight.

Sayomi glared at the demon, taking deep breaths to catch her breath and to focus on something other than her anger. It could only help as much as she really wanted it to. Despite her calm appearance, her eyes raged like storm clouds. "I'm not the one with a murderous reputation."

Hiei smirked at her, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "If you have such an issue with my habits, then why do you insist on pursuing violence?"

"I don't believe now is the time for this debate. We have more pressing concerns." Kurama reminded the pair.

Sayomi suppressed a growl and settled for a heavy sigh. Hiei merely grunted and turned his attention back to the new wave of demons. Kuwabara had managed to inch his way down the wall before jumping down on a zombie and summoning his sword to cut him down. Kurama swung his whip with his dominant right hand while his other arm shielded his stomach.

As Sayomi fought, she used the chain barrier to keep the demons back. If they got too close, she would use the chain the wrap an arm or some other body part to pull them into her blade. It didn't take long for her arms to feel the consequences of unused muscles. _Just keep going. You've already taken out so many. What's a couple more here and there?_

A couple more turned into ten more. Then it became another fifty. Sayomi tried to keep her mind focused on her movements. The less energy she used the better, so she would try to use her enemy's stumble in her favor to pull them off balance. Every now and then, a demon would pull on her chain, and she would use that pull to propel herself forward and duck its arms. Coming up from her crouch, she would bring her sickle up and carve into the beast.

"This blows!" Kuwabara complained. "By the time we blast through all these weirdos, we'll be too _tired_ to help Urameshi!"

"Tired hands are better than none." Kurama disputed.

"Do what you like. I'm not stopping." Hiei stated calmly.

"I can keep going." Sayomi panted, wiping the sweat from her eyes. "It can't last forever, right?"

Kurama smiled down at her briefly and nodded. Then he turned to the demons as the group ran back into the fight with weapons raised. Kuwabara hacked away at them with his Reiki sword at full power. Kurama cracked his whip at every demon that came within reach. Hiei ran from demon to demon, cutting them down with his sword. Sayomi weaved through the demons, slashing with her sickle while spinning the chain to keep the shield up.

She tried to ignore the blasts of energy that flashed from the tower at irregular intervals. She could tell when the energy belonged to Yusuke and she would feel slight relief to know he was still alive. However, every blast brought him closer to his limit. He didn't have an endless supply of aura, but Sayomi had to believe that he had enough to win.

 _He's no Rando, but this Suzaku is no weakling. And from the looks of it, it seems this storm is working in the beast's favor._ Sayomi clicked her tongue, annoyed when she felt Suzaku's depleted energy rejuvenate and multiply again. Yusuke's remained the same. _Hang in there, Yusuke. Just a little bit longer._

With her strengthened resolve, Sayomi charged at the demons, glaring ominously as she weaved and slashed through the swarm. Her breathing was slow and calm as she ran. She began to feel her own energy shift and her body began to emit a black aura. It covered her like a black fog, obscuring her physical body and melding it with the shadows themselves. While she wasn't a complete shadow, the aura increased her speed and stealth, making it easier for her to attack.

As she glided through the horde in her shadowed form, she was able to phase through the physical obstacles while her scythe cut into the pitiful demons. The wounds inflicted by the sickle began to emit a wispy black aura. When the boys tried to find her, they would only catch the shadows in their peripherals before she would move on to the next target. Her speed was almost on par with Hiei, if only in her current form.

Just a few minutes in the form was enough to nearly exhaust her. When she cut through her last target, her aura faded. When she looked down at her shaking hand that clutched the weapon, she noticed that her nails had turned black. Her hand was bleeding where her nails had dug in too deep. Her blood began to stain the black cloth that wrapped the handle of her weapon. _Well that's never happened before…_

A loud clap of thunder, followed instantly with a flash of lightning that descended into the hole in the tower, drew the fighters' attention upward. Sayomi's eyes widened when she felt the large surge of power from both fighters.

"It's gonna be a _big_ one!" Kurama warned. "And a _big finish!_ "

"Someone will die this time." Hiei predicted.

"So long as that someone isn't Yusuke." Sayomi said defiantly.

"That's it for Suzaku's _goons!_ " Kuwabara declared.

When Sayomi looked around the roof, she noticed he was right. Green bodies and puddles of water littered the ground like a swampy cemetery. She hadn't even _noticed_ the end of the fight. The energy surge was too great to notice much else.

" _Rarr!_ " Kuwabara tackled the steel door at the base of the tower, dashing up the stairwell. " _C'mon! To the top floor!_ "

Sayomi ran up the stairs without hesitation. Her grip tightened on her weapon, preparing to jump in if necessary. As she ran up the stairs, she could feel her legs ache in protest as they pushed against gravity. _Grrr! How tall is this bloody tower?!_

A minute after they ran past the windows that marked the halfway point up the tower, there was a loud explosion. The castle shook from the force and the group was showered with dust and debris from the chamber above.

" _Holy spit!_ " Kuwabara cried in shock, lifting his arm to block what he could. Kurama used his whip to keep the rubble from causing too much harm while Hiei cut boulders into pebbles. Sayomi spun her chain to deflect anything that came in her direction. When they were able to climb over the top of the rubble, they found themselves on the top floor. The ceiling had crumbled and was strewn all over the chamber floor.

"Keeeripes! _Urameshi!_ " Kuwabara spotted the battered teen splayed out on his back amongst the rubble with a blank expression. The group clambered over the wreckage and made their way to the unconscious boy.

Sayomi glanced around and spotted what looked like seven copies of the same person. He had a mess of blond hair with two red tipped antenna that hung in his face. His violet eyes were staring blankly in death. He was wearing a red tunic with matching martial arts pants that were singed and torn from the battle. A pink shawl rested over his shoulders. Bronze bracelets adorned his wrists and ankles. She slowly shook her head in disbelief, stashed her weapon, and made her way to her charge.

"Mm… Not good." Kurama examined Yusuke's body carefully while Sayomi knelt opposite on Yusuke's other side. "His aura's exhausted, and there's barely a heartbeat."

"I could heal his physical wounds, but…" Sayomi clenched her fist and glared down at her black claws in shame. _Despite his ancestry, he's still just a human. Even if I_ could _transfer my energy, it could possibly overwhelm him._

"I'll give him an _aura transfusion!_ " Sayomi snapped her head up to Kuwabara standing above Kurama, silently hoping for a positive solution.

"That's out!" Kurama shot down the idea without hesitation. Sayomi snapped her attention to the red-head. "You've hardly recovered from your battle with Byakko."

"I'm _not_ gonna stand here and _watch him die!_ " Kuwabara rebelled. "He needs _energy!_ Your demonic aura's no good for humans! _I'm_ the only option he's got! Here goes!" Sayomi was stunned as she watched Kuwabara stack his hands on Yusuke's chest and use them to channel his own aura into Yusuke's body. " _C'mon, you bastard! Live! Raarrr!_ "

"Kuwabara…" Sayomi couldn't look away and she couldn't bring herself to scold the boy. She only hoped he could save her future king. _If I choose to stay there, that is… What will I do if Yusuke becomes king? Should I stay with him, or…?_

"Looks like we'll have to carry them _both_ out of here." Kurama mused next to Hiei.

"Humans. They're such a pain." Hiei watched the oaf exhaust himself despite his own injuries. He turned to Kurama and said, "I'll never understand why they make such sacrifices for each other."

"That quality enabled Yusuke to defeat Suzaku." Kurama commented. His joking nature had faded into an attentive gaze. He was thinking about something as he spoke.

"Perhaps." Hiei relented. "But risking my life for someone else is not something you'll catch _me_ doing."

"Sure. But if Yusuke hadn't risked it, he'd be dead anyway." Kurama smiled down at his crime partner, teasing him again.

"Always have to have the last word, don't you?" Hiei scowled.

"Ah, that's it…" Kurama noticed Kuwabara collapse beside Yusuke, his own energy spent for the day. "He's down."

"Tuhrrific." Hiei muttered sarcastically.

Sayomi sighed gratefully and proceeded to take care of the rest. When she extended her hands to heal Yusuke's physical wounds, a hand latched onto her shoulder. She turned to see Kurama standing over her, smiling sympathetically. "I think they will be okay for the time being. You seemed to have used up your aura reserves as well."

Sayomi looked down at her hands. They were trembling. She shook her head and sighed heavily. _In the end, I was no help to him…_ She began to reach for Yusuke's arm to carry him back to the Human World, but another pair of hands beat her to it. She looked up and saw Hiei pulling the detective up and shifting him so he was riding on the short demon's back.

"I can carry him." Sayomi protested, staggering to her feet to retrieve the boy.

Hiei stepped out of her reach and watched her nearly trip over a fallen rock. "You can barely carry your own weight." He then turned to look for a way out of the castle.

Kurama mimicked Hiei's method for carrying an unconscious Kuwabara, staying mindful of his injury. He smiled warmly at Sayomi. "In his case, it is wise to be more cautious of his bite rather than his bark. You've done more than your share in this fight. You should let yourself relax the rest of the way home. They should recuperate after a good sleep."

Sayomi looked back at Yusuke, and took a few deep breaths. She could barely stand, let alone walk. _Kurama's probably right. I'm no good to him as I am now._ She nodded in consent with Kurama's advice and followed the pair of thieves to find the portal back to Human world.

 _A few days later…_

"Unh…" Yusuke groaned as he opened one eye, slightly blinded by the lighting. He sat up from the bed he was sleeping in and reached up to clutch his head in pain. "Ow… What the… Where _am_ I?"

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty awakes!" Kuwabara alerted the other two occupants in the room from his seat at a study desk. He was wearing a simple black tank top and a pair of frayed jeans. "It's cool. You're in my room."

"You've been out for _three days._ " Kurama informed the groggy teen. Instead of his pink school uniform, the red-head was sporting a loose pink sweater with the sleeves pushed up. The top was tucked into form-fitting jeans that flared a little towards the bottom.

"I was able to heal most of your physical wounds, but you might still feel sore for a while." Sayomi warned the teen to discourage unnecessary strain. She had spent the days stretching and meditating to dissipate her own soreness a bit, but nothing beat time.

"And School's in _total turmoil_ , man. All classes are cancelled. I let your ma know you're okay, though." Kuwabara was excited to tell Yusuke about everything that happened due to the Beasts.

"Shee… Three whole days…" Yusuke grimaced, the stiff and sore muscles slowing his movements. "I've never felt so… beat to death."

"You practically were if it wasn't for Kuwabara's donation." Sayomi commented, glancing at the grinning psychic. "But at least you destroyed the whistle."

The mention of the whistle snagged Yusuke's attention as a thought hit him. "Whoa! _Keiko_ and _Botan!_ Are they-?!"

"Hey hey, get this—" Kuwabara tried to divert the detective's train of thought. He began to sweat nervously. " _Iwamoto's_ being _grilled_ by the _police!_ He's claiming he doesn't _remember_ a thing! Mr. Take's recovering from a blow to the head."

"Got it! But what _about_ —" Yusuke growled, glaring angrily as Kuwabara cut him off.

"Did I mention _Iwamoto's_ being _grilled_ by the _police?!_ "

" _Yes!_ Kuwabara…" Yusuke threatened as he approached his rival.

"Right! And the _best_ part is…" Kuwabara struggled to find a way out. He was holding his hands out in mercy as he forced a fake smile on his face.

" _What about Keiko and Botan?_ " Yusuke yelled in Kuwabara's face. Then he settled back on the bed and stared his friend down. "Wait… _What_ are you _trying to hide?! Kuwabara?!_ "

The tension in the room grew heavy. Kuwabara's face became pale as he spaced out into thought. Then he clenched his teeth, struggling to say what was on the tip of his tongue. Kurama looked down until his bangs shadowed his eyes, refusing to look at the detective directly. Sayomi pulled her cowl over her head and darkened the shadows to hide her own expression.

"Hey…" Yusuke whispered in disbelief. Then he glared and stood up from the bed, clutching the collar of Kuwabara's shirt to force his attention from the floor. His stayed trained on the floor, clenching his teeth. " _Hey! Don't pull this crap! What's happened?! Tell me! What about Keiko and—_ "

"Boy, someone woke up _grouchy!_ Hi, Yusuke!" Yusuke was cut off by Botan as she entered the room as alive and bubbly as ever. She was dressed in a stylish kimono-like shirt with baggy sleeves that reached her elbows. Her jeans were held up with a matching sash. Keiko walked in beside the reaper in a simple red dress with a white button-up blouse with short sleeves.

"Huh…?" Yusuke deadpanned, his expression dumbfounded and at a loss for words.

"Pfft. Hee hee." Kuwabara tried to hold his laughter behind his hand with minimum effort. "Really had you goin', man."

Kurama closed his eyes and coughed lightly behind his hand, disguising his own chuckles. "He thinks he's _funny,_ Yusuke."

Sayomi chuckled under her hood but refused to pull it down. "I'll admit I was curious about your reaction." Her shoulders began to shake more as she laughed harder. "Gotta admit I wasn't disappointed."

"Haw haw…" Kuwabara cracked up with tears in his eyes, pointing at Yusuke's annoyed glower. "You shoulda seen yer face! Some joke, eh? Gotcha good!"

 _A few moments later…_

"It was a close call," Botan chirped with her index fingers pointing up. "I thought we were _goners!_ Then they _knocked_ me in the _head!_ When I came to, all the infected people were _sprawled out!_ I knew then that _you'd triumphed!_ "

Sayomi could feel her eye twitching at the reaper's energy and her attitude about the situation. _Does she get hit in the head often? Is_ that _why she's like this?!_

"Well, glad you're both okay! That's a huge relief!" Yusuke sat cross-legged on the floor with the others in a small circle with a satisfied smile on his face. Kuwabara was lying unconscious on the floor next to him. He had a few bumps on his head and an improvised tombstone with his name weighed down heavily on his back, keeping him pinned to the floor. "It's all over…

"Urk…" Yusuke flinched when he noticed Keiko glaring at him from across the circle. He nervously kept his smile in place, dreading the inevitable walk home.

Sayomi noticed the silent exchange and smirked to herself. _I wonder how that little talk of theirs will go. Judging by his return from Master Genkai's, it will probably not end well for him. This ought to be interesting to see…_

Later that evening, the group decided to part ways from the Kuwabara residence. The sun was just beginning to set, so the sky was a mess of warm reds and oranges as night began to creep over. Sayomi had taken advantage of the longer shadows to keep a safe distance from her charge and his companion, Keiko, and keep herself hidden from clear view. While she couldn't really keep them in constant sight, she was close enough to hear them speak.

"Yo, Keiko! I know this was _my fault!_ " Yusuke called, causing the girl to stop walking. Sayomi peeked around the corner of a nearby building to watch Yusuke jog up to the human girl. "I was stupid. Chew me out! I _deserve_ it!"

Sayomi hesitated to move when she saw Keiko swing her arm towards Yusuke. The boy visibly flinched, then blinked in confusion at the raised index finger. "Huh?"

"Botan told me the whole story." Keiko confessed, her voice slightly annoyed. "But the _next_ _time_ you get a mission like this, I want you to tell me about it _before you go._ Promise me, Yusuke, whenever possible, I'll be the _first to know!_ " The girl pulled her hand back to clutch near her chest in worry. "I don't want to be left fumbling in the dark, knowing _nothing_ until _after_ all's said and done. I hate that."

Yusuke stood still, staring at Keiko with a guilty expression. Sayomi pulled away from peeking and sighed quietly in relief. _I'm sure Keiko would be enough to knock him out again, especially as hurt as he is already._

"Guess you would. Sorry." Yusuke apologized sincerely.

"I'm not after an apology. Just _promise_ me!" Keiko persisted. The pair resumed their walk and Sayomi kept her safe distance despite the growing darkness.

"I won't let anything happen to you, I swear." Yusuke assured, looking back at her with his hands in his pockets. His green uniform top had become too tattered to keep so he was left in his white t-shirt that he wore underneath. There was only one rip over the left shoulder but it was good enough for the walk.

"I'm not asking you to _protect_ me, either." Keiko wouldn't let him out of it. She walked patiently with her arms folded behind her back.

Yusuke grimaced at her tenacity. He just couldn't bring himself to promise so risky. "Look, there won't be any more missions as dangerous as this one."

"Doesn't matter. _Promise me!_ " Keiko pushed for his oath the whole way home, giving him no way out of it.

It was completely dark by the time the detective made it home. While Yusuke had insisted that Sayomi stay at his place, she refused the offer. She didn't feel comfortable sleeping under a roof. She had become accustomed to sleeping outdoors. Instead, she made her way to the roof of the building across from his bedroom window and settled down for a meditation.

She focused on her breathing first. She inhaled for a slow count of four, and held for another four-count. She repeated the motion for the deep exhale, holding afterwards for another moment. This cycle continued for a few minutes until her tense body felt relaxed and her mind had faded to silence. Once in harmony, she opened her mind's eye to find herself in the Void again.

Her Shade sat across from her, mirroring her lotus position. It smirked at her from beneath the hood and spoke in soft whispers. " _How are you, my host? Feeling a bit under the weather?_ "

Sayomi ignored the taunt and kept her features calm and neutral and her voice monotonous. "Something happened at the castle. I was hoping you could enlighten me on it a bit."

The Shade chuckled and replied, " _I see it's tearing you up to know what is happening. You're afraid…_ "

Sayomi took a few deep breaths as her Shade spoke. It wasn't wrong, but she wasn't going to submit to it. "It does worry me a bit, but that's why I'm here."

" _You're not only afraid of what's happening to you. You're also afraid of the thief known as Hiei._ " Her Shade continued to tug at this new knowledge. It wanted her to give in to her fear.

"I wouldn't say I fear him. I'm just cautious around him because he seems the most dangerous." Sayomi had to keep herself calm. She couldn't show how right her Shade was. It would only complicate things.

Her Shade sighed, annoyed with her stubborn resistance. " _What is it you want, host?_ "

"I want to know why my nails are black. No matter what I do, it will not fade." Sayomi had tried Human nail polish from Keiko, scratching at the surface and anything else she could think of besides tearing them out completely. "I've used my Shadow aura many times, but this has never been a side-effect before."

Her Shade chuckled at her ignorance. " _Tell me, how did it feel at the castle?_ _Were you afraid?_ "

"I was afraid for Yusuke when he nearly died, I'll admit, but otherwise no." She refused to think of a pair of murderous red eyes glaring at her.

" _Did you enjoy yourself, then?_ "

Sayomi thought back to the battles that the others had to fight and remembered her unease but she couldn't deny the excitement she felt throughout each match. She didn't broadcast it, but each time, she found herself eager to jump in. When she had gotten her chance, she realized that she _was_ having fun. "Yes, I suppose I did."

" _Now why do you think that is? Because of your new little friends? Or was it because of the fight? Maybe this Hiei has a point about your enthusiasm for violence._ "

Sayomi realized that her Shade had another good point. She was more suspicious of her allies than trusting. After they all had fought, she realized that her suspicions had nearly diminished. Hiei was definitely dangerous, but when they fought alongside each other, she couldn't help but feel that she had gained just a little more respect from the thief. While Kuwabara seemed a little weary of her, he still accepted her and joked around. Kurama was probably the more pleasant one of them all. She found herself able to relax around his presence and enjoyed the feeling. Yusuke himself made her feel like she was back in Demon World with her King, and it made her confused about her future.

When she thought about the fight, she remembered the adrenaline that rushed through her. She recalled laughing a couple times. She could still feel her weapon in her hands and how natural it felt to use it. Genkai had taught her a few basics for using the weapon properly and allowed her to train with it between her aura lessons. What she found herself enjoying was the ability to finally defend herself without relying too much on others. The hominids had made for good field practice and she looked forward to the next confrontation to test herself against a new opponent.

"I suppose I did enjoy myself on the mission." Sayomi relented. She didn't specify what she enjoyed or how much she enjoyed it. It could be too much to use against her.

" _And therein lies your answer…_ " The Shade chuckled and began to fade into the Void, its laughter still echoing in the darkness.

Sayomi took a few deep breaths and slowly pulled herself from the meditation. When she opened her eyes, she laid on her back, folding her hands behind her head, and gazed up at the stars. _What the hell was_ that _supposed to mean?_ She thought about it until her eyes became too heavy and she drifted into a deep sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

The news that Yusuke beat Rando and Suzaku gradually spread from the denizens of Demon City to the demons lurking in the Human World. Many expressed concern, but there were some who scoffed at Suzaku's ineptitude and kicked themselves for ever fearing him. This roused them to action. In their world, the law of the jungle prevails. Anyone who overthrows one of the powerful is to be feared, but he also becomes the next man to beat. Yusuke has become that man, a target for any demon trying to claw its way to the top.

Sayomi was casually wandering around the streets of Yusuke's town, her hands in her pockets as she experienced the new sounds and smells. Yusuke had to go to something he called school, and she didn't really find it interesting enough to stick around for too long. Kuwabara seemed to be in his same class so that made her feel better about leaving him alone for a few hours.

On her walk, she thought about her good fortune so far in her assignment. She had managed to find a teacher willing to teach her wider control of her energy. Just a month and a half of training was enough to push her to develop new techniques of her own. Then, she had managed to find the very person she was looking for. Granted, it was only a hunch she had to go on based on results she had seen, but he was still the most likely candidate. Even the _Underworld_ had their eye on the boy. She could only wonder if they were aware of what they had or if they were really oblivious. Then there was the possibility that she had the wrong person after all.

 _If he can handle seven copies of the leader of the Four Beasts, then what other proof do I_ need? _Surely not just_ any _human could tackle such a feat. Even_ Kuwabara _had a hard time going toe-to-toe with Byakko and Rando. Kurama is still a mystery, but his body is definitely a human. Even so, would Yusuke be able to_ lead? _I know how loyal the monks are to the King, but how would they react to Yusuke's impetuous nature? Surely they wouldn't just follow him blindly without teaching him about their rules and customs. They're too stuck in their ways to—_

"Unh…"

"Guh…"

Sayomi stopped walking when she heard a couple of voices groaning in pain. She stood still and listened carefully.

"That's just for _starters,_ you stuffed twits!"

"We'll get back to you later. Let's go, _Kuwa._ "

Just ahead of her, Sayomi spotted two figures holding pipes run out from a narrow street. She noticed they looked similar to Kuwabara and Yusuke, but there was something off about them. First off, their auras were wrong. They didn't feel as pure as the boys she had grown familiar with. Then, their voices were different. The one who spoke first didn't sound as rough as the psychic and the other imposter sounded too nasally. Also, the boys would use their own fists rather than a physical weapon against mere humans.

She turned down the small street and found four young boys bruised and struggling to catch their lost breath. A couple of them were curling in on their stomachs, trying to cover their heads and protect themselves. One of them was on his knees, using his arms to shield his head. He shook in fear, refusing to lift his eyes, not realizing that the attackers had fled. The last boy was laying on his back, clutching his right arm. It was already beginning to bruise and it was at an unnatural angle.

When she stepped on something cold and smooth, she looked down and noticed a small card. When she crouched down to pick it up, it read: _Sarayashiki Jr High Student ID._ Scrawled along the bottom was _Yusuke Urameshi_. Ignoring the wounded boys, she dropped the card in her pocket and took off after the two imposters.

She made sure to keep her distance from the two people, using buildings and crowds to blend in with her surroundings. She had to avoid using her abilities because it would draw too much attention from the human populace, but she knew how to hide in plain sight. Rather than running after them, she would walk calmly, keeping the pair in sight at all times. If they disappeared from view, she was quick to catch up on the balls of her feet, and resume her calm stride. She also made it a point to not look directly at them, otherwise they could sense her gaze and she would draw unnecessary attention.

She eventually followed the mischievous duo until they reached Kasanegafuchi Park, according to entrance sign. The pair had stopped at a tree that bordered around an open green field, while Sayomi hid behind a tree just a few yards behind them. They peered around their hiding spot to watch a large group of young men gather at the center of the field. From what she could make out, they seemed to be rather loud and angry.

" _Today Urameshi and Kuwabara die!_ "

"After sneak attackin' at night, _now_ they issue a _challenge?!_ " The young thug had narrow eyes and thin eyebrows. His black hair was gelled in a similar style to Kuwabara's hairdo and he had a thin mustache. He chewed on a piece of grass while he spoke in a calm angry tone. "They want us to come to the old Hell Housing Site at 4:00!"

"Those guys've turned _nasty!_ They _used to_ play _fair,_ no matter what dirty tricks _we_ pulled!" The loud teenager wasn't wearing a shirt. His hair was sheared in a short cut with two small ponytails lining vertically behind his head. The front of his hair was a bit longer than the back and it curled more than his ponytails. He clenched his fist and strained his muscles while he yelled.

"Go Downtown and round up anyone else who _wants in_ on this! This time Urameshi and Kuwabara are goin' _down_ for good!"

Sayomi clenched her fists and glared down at the field. _They wouldn't last five minutes in a fair fight with Yusuke. Only cowards would try to gang up on a single opponent._

"Those flea-brains are all revved to _rumble._ " Sayomi's glare shifted to the Kuwabara look-alike. He was about the right height, and his hair matched up okay enough, but his nose and chin were too large and he lacked Kuwabara's prominent cheekbones.

"They couldn't put Urameshi down on his _worst day._ Still, they'll serve their purpose." The Yusuke imposter had the right facial structure, but his hair stuck out too much on both sides, making his hair look like devil's horns. His eyebrows were too thick and his eyes too droopy.

"Once our look-alikes are tired out, we'll go in and _crush_ them!" Sayomi grimaced when she saw the Kuwabara imposter begin to change his appearance. Sharp teeth began to protrude from his mouth. His skin turned a sick shade of green. And gills formed at his esophagus. He held up a thin clawed hand as he imagined putting them to use. "Our reps will _soar_ in the Human World _and_ the Demon Plane!"

"Too bad half-breeds like us can't just kill them and disappear, 'cause we're tied to human identities, so we _improvise_." The Yusuke imposter's skin turned a similar shade of green as his partner and a long purple tongue slithered out of his mouth. At the end of his tongue was a small bulb followed by a small hooked stinger. "Heh heh heh."

Sayomi clicked her tongue in annoyance. Yusuke was still feeling too sore to take on so many humans _and_ a bunch of dishonorable half-demons. _His energies were depleted thanks to Suzaku. He can barely keep himself upright as it is. I need to find Yusuke and_ warn him!

Sayomi left the half-breeds to their plans and made her way back to search for the detective. On her way, she noticed a familiar aura signature. It didn't feel hostile, so she was relieved when she found Kurama. He was in his pink school uniform and he was walking with one hand in his pocket. He greeted her with a pleasant smile. "Good afternoon, Sayomi. I take it you're aware of the situation."

"The Hell Housing Site at 4:00. I need to go warn Yusuke." Before she could take off, Kurama stopped her.

"There is no need. The Underworld has asked me to watch over Yusuke and Kuwabara in case of trouble. I can assure you that no harm will come to them." He resumed his walk and beckoned Sayomi to follow him. "We still have a couple hours until four. I have no doubt Yusuke will be there."

Sayomi took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. _He has a point…_ "Is it safe to assume you know where this place is?"

"Yes, but I just need to make a quick stop before we go there." He smiled down at her, his eyes glinting with mischief. Sayomi began to feel nervous as she followed him into a random building.

He led her to a set of three doors and pressed a button on the wall that had an arrow pointing up. Sayomi looked around the building and noticed the humans were giving her angry looks. When she shifted her gaze downward, she saw a trail of dirty footprints leading to her. She looked back up at the humans and quirked her eyebrow, daring them to do something about it. They weren't aware of why they couldn't approach her, but they instinctively sensed that she shouldn't be messed with. When she heard a low bell chime, she turned her attention to the doors and followed the red-head into the small room. As the doors slid shut, Sayomi smirked and waved at the humans.

Kurama pushed another button and a light turned on, illuminating the number 34. When he looked down at Sayomi, he noticed her laughing quietly to herself. He smiled and asked, "Did I miss something funny?"

She calmed down from her private joke and smiled up at the boy. "Not really. I just never had a chance to interact with the humans in this world. It's kind of fun!"

Kurama looked down at her feet, noticing they were dirty from walking outside on the pavement and dirt, and caught on to the source of her laughter. "Yes, well humans take cleanliness very serious around here. Without proper footwear, it's likely you won't be welcome in many places."

Sayomi sighed and crossed her arms. _I've heard that one before… Doesn't matter to me though._ "Trust me. Where I come from, people frowned upon me just for being what I am. It didn't take me long to ignore what others think of me. They'll get over it."

Kurama frowned and was about to speak when the elevator chimed and settled. When the doors opened, he looked for a map on the wall and found a set of stairs leading up another level. Ignoring the _Do no enter_ sign on the door, Kurama and Sayomi climbed up and opened the exit door leading outside to the roof of the building.

"Heh heh heh. What _am_ I thinking?" Sayomi physically tensed when she heard the familiar voice.

"Quite a lot of _bloodlust_ in the air, eh?" Kurama asked, smiling at Hiei's back. Sayomi noticed he had flinched when Kurama spoke up.

"Don't sneak up behind me." Hiei ordered without turning around.

"You wouldn't have to worry so much if you weren't standing on the ledge of the roof." Sayomi retorted, glaring at the thief.

"Watch it, woman. If you continue to incite me, I will cut out your tongue." Despite his threat, he seemed rather calm.

"What brings _you_ down here?" Kurama asked casually, as if bumping into an old friend in the street.

"Nothing of consequence. And _you?_ " Hiei asked in a bored tone.

"The Underworld asked me to guard our associates, but my stomach injury isn't fully healed. It's the _second_ severe hit I've taken there, as you may remember." Kurama smirked, as if engaging in a private joke.

"I get your point." Hiei growled and turned to glare at the pair. "I'm not the Underworld's _slave,_ got it? I'm just putting in my 'community service'!"

"I understand. So…" Kurama was about to leave before asking one more question. "The big clash is happening at the Hell Housing Site at 4:00?"

"Yes! Now _goodbye!_ " Hiei growled angrily, annoyed with the red-head.

"Poor Yusuke, stuck fighting _third-rate_ demons. But what do you care?" Kurama held the door open for Sayomi then followed behind her. Before shutting the door, he added, "He already _beat you,_ after all."

"Ha ha ha!" Sayomi couldn't hold in her laugh for long. Just seeing the over-confident Hiei get so riled up was enough to make her day. "How did you manage to do that?"

"It's a matter of knowing a person and just what buttons to push." Kurama led the way to the emergency stairwell instead of the elevators.

"If you don't mind me asking, how long have you known him?" She couldn't help her curiosity. Kurama seemed like such a nice person. Sure he was dangerous, but he wasn't nearly as cynical as Hiei. She couldn't help but wonder how they met in the first place.

"I suppose it's been about a year now. It wasn't the most pleasant of meetings, but at the time we had a common enemy." He looked down at the girl and smiled. "Would you like to hear about it?"

Sayomi smiled but hesitated. "How long will it take us to get to the Hell Housing Site?"

"It's about 2:30 now. On foot it will probably take about an hour." Kurama checked his wristwatch then pulled his sleeve back over the trinket.

"In that case, I suppose we have time." She sighed in relief. She was worried he wouldn't answer her question, but he seemed a little more than willing to share. She smiled to herself as she waited for him to gather his thoughts.

"I suppose I should start from the very beginning. It was my final year in Jr High School and there was a rumor going around about missing students." Kurama thought back to those days, when he was still in hiding.

 _One year ago…_

"What? _Again?_ " A classroom of teenagers were huddled around the room. Desks were angled inward, forming a small circle and students were gossiping about recent events.

"Yeah. One of my brother's classmates— been gone a week."

"Along with two other guys."

"They probably just took off, y'know? I know _I'd_ like to."

"This town's so _dull…_ "

"Maybe they were 'spirited away'?" A young boy suggested. He had dark hair cut short in the back while the top of his head had long, blond-colored locks. Some freckles dotted lightly across his nose. He wore a black shirt under a denim vest and jeans.

"Sure would explain all the recent _disappearances!_ " A young girl agreed, raising her hand excitedly. Her wavy blond hair was cut short and it bounced with every sudden movement. She donned a simple white dress with puffy short sleeves and a pink ribbon that tied at her throat.

"Ha!" The freckled boy laughed. "Figure _you'd_ go for that!"

"Not like _Maya_ would!" The girl protested. She turned to her classmate curiously. "Right?"

" _Shuichi!_ How 'bout _you?_ " A young girl, Maya, kept her black hair cut short. Her bangs hung free across her forehead, but the rest of it was pushed back behind her ears. She wore a simple white collared blouse and matching pencil skirt that reached her knees.

"Maybe they just ran away." A young boy answered logically. His red hair was cropped short and he wore his trademark pink uniform.

"Oh, Shuichi, that's _boring!_ " Maya protested, wagging her finger at him. "I figure _abduction_ by… Oh… Ghosts, or _aliens!_ Maybe a _secret cult!_ That kinda thing!"

"Hmm… Seems unlikely." Shuichi disagreed.

"Ha! Not so!" Maya argued. "There's weird stuff _everywhere!_ "

The freckled boy glared at the pair, frowning at the red-head. He sat backwards on his chair, folding his arms over the back as he sulked. "Wot's she _see_ in 'im…?"

"You still steamed Maya's all _gooey_ over Minamino?" The blond girl teased from her desk. She propped up her cheek in her hand as she smiled innocently at the grumpy teen.

"Well, he… He wears a _uniform_ even when it's _not required!_ Who does _that?_ " The boy grumbled. Just thinking about it was enough to make him angry.

"You're just _jealous._ " The girl teased, narrowing her eyes and smiling at the boy's expense. "Hey!"

The boy had grabbed her eraser and flung it towards the red-head angrily. _Darn right!_

"Y'know, I've got a bit of _sixth sense…_ " Maya was chattering away with Shuichi, unaware of the projectile. "Huh?"

Before the small rubber bullet could hit its target, Shuichi snapped his wrist back to snatch it from the air without turning. When he held up the item to inspect it, he paused and blinked a couple times. "An eraser…"

"Geez…" The freckled boy glared, annoyed and shocked by the red-head's reflexes.

"Wow…" The blond girl could only stare in wonder.

Later that evening, Shuichi wandered the empty hallways. The sun was already setting and everyone had locked up and gone home. "Missing people… It _couldn't_ be, but an unreal miasma _is_ building up around here…"

He paused when he noticed a rank stench in the air. A small green slime began to spread along the floor and wall. Soon, the slime shifted and a demonic head formed in the goop. It had two large horns and four extra sharp teeth protruding from its mouth. The slime melted over its yellow eyes. "Kurama, you _scum…_ I'm gonna _kill ya,_ I am! And then _I'll_ claim this town for the _Demon Realm!_ "

"Slime Ogre…" Shuichi, aka Kurama, glared down at the demon, unintimidated. "You're back. Forget the _vow_ you made to me in exchange for _not_ finishing you off?"

"I _didn't_ forget!" The demon screeched. "But I've got a new ally, a real _killer!_ We'll _get_ you this time!"

Kurama swiftly flung his arm toward the slime demon.

"I _saw_ that!" The demon dodged the attack and crashed through a nearby window. "Hee hee…"

Kurama stood alone in the darkening hallway. He glared out the broken window, pondering his next move. _A lesser demon, out for revenge on the one that nearly killed him. That must be some ally he's got. I'd rather not manifest my own powers, but if he's declared this town his hunting ground, he'll receive no more mercy from the human side of the demon who protects it._

"What was _that?_ A… a _ghost?_ " Kurama froze at the sound of a familiar feminine voice. Maya stood behind him, her hands clinging in worry at the base of her neck. Her eyes were large and she stared in wonder at the spot the demon was previously occupying. "It was so… gross… and _smelly!_ Are things like that _always_ so _repulsive?_ "

"I'm sure you're mistaken, Maya." Shuichi tried to persuade her train of thought. _She_ saw _it?! That's not good! I was afraid of this… My presence has_ enhanced _her sixth sense…!_

"No, I'm _not!_ It was _there,_ clear as day! And I heard you _talk_ to it! You _are_ in tune with the _Spirit World!_ Don't _deny_ it, Shuichi!" She marched up to the young boy and clapped her hands together, elated by her discovery. "First time I saw you, I _knew_ you were _different!_ I _love_ the _occult,_ so I've _dreamed_ of meeting someone _like_ you!

"And to think you're also my _first love!_ " As she calmed down, she brought her fingers to gently touch her lips. A small blush dusted across her cheeks as she smiled shyly at the stunned Shuichi.

Shuichi had offered to walk her home. He reasoned that it was getting dark and it would be dangerous and impolite to let her go alone. The sun was almost gone and the sky glowed with warm reds and oranges.

"So you had _no_ idea…?"

"No, I'm sorry, I didn't."

"Then… how _do_ you feel… about me?" Maya hesitantly asked. When Shuichi didn't respond right away, she smiled and tried to put on a carefree mask. "It's okay… _really!_ I'll _understand_ if you don't…"

"I'm sorry…" Shuichi refused to look her in the eye. _I can't tell you. It's too dangerous to tell you… how I_ really _feel…_

Maya's happy mask began to crack. Her shoulders slumped from rejection and unshed tears began to cloud her vision. "Okay… I… guess I'll go home…"

Kurama suddenly sensed a dangerous presence and grabbed Maya's shoulder to keep her from wandering. She flinched at the sudden physical contact and looked over her shoulder in worry.

"Stay close to me…" He warned. _I almost didn't sense him! What_ skill— _and_ bloodlust! _This may be_ serious trouble.

In an instant, Kurama dropped his school bag and swept Maya from her feet. He jumped away from the spot just before their bags were slashed in half. Maya screamed at the sudden movements and she trembled in the red-head's arms.

"You okay?" Kurama asked the frightened girl.

"I-I guess…" She answered wearily.

"You… _dodged_ my stroke!" A short male dressed in black held a sharp _katana_ , ready to attack again. His hair defied gravity and his eyes were blood-red.

"Are you okay?!" Maya asked, worried for her crush. "He looks _vicious!_ " Then she lowered her voice and whispered in admiration, "You're awfully strong, though…"

"He _is_ vicious—and _cunning!_ " He answered. He either didn't hear her last comment or he chose to ignore it. He set her down and jumped away, trying to keep the stranger's attention. He managed to pull a blade of grass from the sidewalk and he fed his energy into the greenery. The blade of grass grew long and it solidified into a sharp sword.

"Ah! _Plants_ are your _motif,_ I see!" The stranger charged in, pitting sword against sword in rapid strikes and parries.

" _Run, Maya!_ " Kurama shouted, fending off the stranger's attacks.

"Uh… Um…" Maya could only sit still and watch. She could barely see her classmate move, let alone the attacker.

Kurama managed to push the stranger away and he took off. _Better lead him away._ The stranger had no trouble keeping up as they leapt over trees to a nearby park and disappeared from the girl's view. As they ran, they exchanged blows. Neither warrior was able to land a hit on the other.

"You're _good!_ " The stranger complimented. " _Too_ good for Eight-Hands! _Why_ do you _serve_ him?"

"What?!" Kurama reeled. " _You're kidding!_ You mean _Eight-Hands_ is in town?!"

The stranger skidded to a stop across the field, caught off guard by the red-head's reaction. "Wait a second! You didn't _know?!_ "

"I know now." Kurama stood his ground and discarded his weapon. "Know this—I serve no one. This is where I live, as a human."

"Well, this is _me_ looking _stupid…_ " The stranger braced his left hand on his knee as he tried to catch his breath.

There was a quiet dripping sound and Kurama noticed a small red puddle forming under the stranger's feet. _Blood…?!_

"Unh!" The stranger grunted before falling forward, unconscious.

Kurama stepped toward the wounded swordsman in worry. He proceeded to lift him onto his back and carry him back to his home. _Eight-Hands… The eight-handed demon! That's just great! I'm no match for him at my level…_

Later that evening, the stranger woke up with a start. He sat up immediately and noticed he was on a bed. He looked around the unfamiliar room and noticed the bookshelf that was filled to max capacity and a desk with a single chair. Sitting under the window was the red-head from before.

"Better already, I see. And after just four hours' rest." Kurama watched patiently as the stranger looked down to see his wounds had indeed fully healed. "It was quite deep, so I treated it with an herb from the Demon Plane. Hope you don't mind.

"You… uh… also talked in your sleep… about someone named _Yukina._ " Kurama smiled when he noticed the stranger's guarded reaction. "And your evil eye… Your aura indicates you got it quite recently. That's not something one acquires without a compelling reason. Is there a _link_ between this Yukina and Eight-Hands?"

"That's none of your business!" The stranger growled angrily, pulling his coat back on. "In fact, I should _kill_ you for what you know.

"But that would be ungrateful of me, so…" He got up from the bed and made his way to the window, sliding it open. "…Let me _warn_ you—your humanity will prove _fatal_ one day."

"You're going out to _fight_ again? I'm not sure you're ready." Kurama advised the swordsman.

"This can't _wait_ , and neither can I." The stranger propped one foot on the windowsill, preparing to leave. "The more Eight-Hands eats, the _stronger_ he gets."

"Will you at least leave me your name?" Kurama asked, turning to meet the stranger's eye.

"….." The stranger hesitated for a moment before he relented. "Hiei." As soon as he uttered the word, he leapt from the window, running across rooftops to search for the demon.

"So _that's_ the infamous Hiei. He has quite a rep on the Demon Plane. Still, I don't think even he's up to tackling Eight-Hands alone…" Kurama mused.

When he heard the telephone ring in the other room, he got up to answer it before it disturbed his sleeping mother. "Minamino residence."

"Shuichi? This is Tasaka." An image of the freckled boy from his class came to Kurama's mind. "Kitajima's folks just called; she _hasn't_ come home yet. _You_ wouldn't know where she is, wouldya, jerk-o?"

Kurama gasped quietly at the news. _The worst-case scenario—it's happened…_

He hung up the phone and took off after the thief. "I'm coming _with_ you."

"What's fried _you_ up, fox-boy?" Hiei asked, not slowing his stride in the slightest.

"There's a new wrinkle." Kurama answered.

"That _girl,_ eh? You're a softie." Hiei taunted.

"You should talk, thief." Kurama countered.

"..." Hiei glared ahead, refusing to look at the red-head. "You're _starting_ to get on my nerves."

"Save that hostility for Eight-Hands." Kurama advised.

They soon found themselves at an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. It was dark and musty. Mannequins littered the space in broken parts. Scorch marks indicated a fire had happened but they were old and worn.

"A burnt-out factory…" Hiei observed, searching the darkness for any sign of movement. "Just the place for third-rate _demon trash_ to hang out."

Kurama clenched his teeth, worried about one person only. _Maya…!_

"So glad you _disapprove._ "

Hiei and Kurama froze, momentarily startled by the voice behind them. They instinctively jumped away just before the ground was smashed to rubble. They landed several feet away, facing the new-comer without hesitation.

"Don't _give up,_ do you." The demon was tall, about twice the size of the two boys. He had four muscled arms sticking out from his shoulders, two more arms sticking out from his head, and even his legs ended with another pair of hands instead of feet. His only article of clothing was a fur loincloth held up with a belt made of skulls. His thin eyes narrowed more as he smirked at his opponents.

"Never have." Hiei confirmed, glaring dangerously at the large demon. "The ice maiden you ate—who _was_ she?"

Eight-Hands smirked and chuckled as he answered the runt. "We weren't properly introduced… Heh heh heh."

"That girl you kidnapped today…" Kurama interjected. "Where is _she?!_ "

"You one of her little friends? Okay, I'll give you a _hint._ " Eight-Hands mocked the young teen. Then one of the hands that sprouted from his head lifted an item. It was a severed foot that dripped red. "Know what _this_ is?"

Kurama felt his body shiver, as if from a sudden cold draft. Then he glared and pulled out his blade of grass, pouring his energy into it so it could elongate into a sword. He charged Eight-Hands with his weapon raised and shouted angrily, " _You beast!_ "

Eight-Hands dropped the appendage and raised his arms to block the attack. Hiei followed close behind Kurama, aiming his sword at another angle to catch the demon off guard. His attempt proved fruitless as Eight-Hands merely swatted his attacks away like an annoying insect. No matter what angle or sneak attack they tried, the large demon was able to negate their blows. With minor effort, Eight-Hands was able to knock the two fighters from their feet. "I could easily swat _200_ runts like you!"

 _Separate attacks are useless!_ Kurama and Hiei realized simultaneously. Kurama had a few rips in his uniform shirt across the stomach. Hiei was rubbing his fist across a fresh hit to the jaw, clenching his sword. Without speaking, they ganged up on Eight-Hands, attacking him at the same time.

" _Impertinent microbes!_ " Eight-Hands yelled, blocking their attacks just as easily. "You're no better _together!_ "

While circling Eight-Hands, Kurama and Hiei crossed paths. Once behind Kurama, Hiei disappeared from the large demon's view. Eight-Hands hesitated a moment, searching for the thief. Then he smirked as he caught on to their plan. He looked up and noticed the cloaked figure leaping in the air.

" _Hah!_ " Kurama took advantage of the distraction and charged to attack with his grass blade.

"Heh heh…" Eight-Hands swatted the weapon away with one of his larger arms. "So _easy_ to parry!

" _No_ challenge at all…" Eight-Hands pulled back one of his other large fists. "…'Cause I _saw_ it _comin'!_ " He smashed his fist into the cloaked figure's face, smashing the mannequin into pieces of broken clay.

" _What th-?! A doll decoy!_ " Eight-Hands looked up higher, his fist still extended out, leaving him open. He caught sight of Hiei, sans his cloak, bringing his sword down to attack. "Aww, spit…"

As Hiei decapitated the apparition, Kurama severed his torso at the waist.

"I'm _impressed._ " The demon's head complimented. "…So I'll _answer_ your questions!" The pieces of Eight-Hands' body landed spread out on the back as blood flowed freely from the severed arteries. "The girl is _safe…_ and I _never partook_ of an ice maiden. If I _had_ eaten something so _fine…_ _you'd_ be the ones… on the ground… in pieces…" With a final wheeze, the demon fell silent for good.

On the way home, Kurama carried a sleeping Maya on his back. He supported her legs with his arms and leaned forward slightly so she could rest easy. When she opened her eyes, she noticed the swaying motion and a head of red hair.

"…Uh… huh? Minamino… What…?" Maya asked groggily, then lifted her head to see she was being carried. "Oh, I see… a dream…"

"That's right, a dream that you'll _forget_ when you wake up." Kurama answered, just loud enough for the sleepy girl to hear.

Maya smiled to herself and rested her head against his back. Her eyelids felt heavy and she let them fall shut as she took in a deep breath. "This one… smells nice…"

Kurama continued walking in silence, letting her fall back to sleep. _You'll forget your_ feelings _for me, as well._

"Dream flower pollen to erase memories." Hiei observed, walking next to the red-head as if he'd been there the whole time.

"It's for the best." Kurama smiled at the thief, unaffected by the demon's sudden appearance.

"As you say. By the way…" Hiei tilted his gaze at the red-head curiously. "…Care to leave _your_ name?"

" _Kurama._ "

 _Present day at 3:30…_

"Then about a month ago, Hiei asked me to join him in recovering the items of darkness. I suppose Yusuke briefed you on his involvement in the matter." Kurama smiled down at Sayomi, observing her reaction.

Sayomi nodded absently, lost in her own mind as she thought over Kurama's experience. _So because a demon had taken his classmate, and there was a rumor about said demon eating an ice maiden, they teamed up rather than kill each other. But then, what is it with Hiei and this Yukina? And why did Kurama treat the thief's wounds after he had tried to kill him?_ Kurama's story had left her with more questions than before.

"You _dare_ to show your _face,_ Urameshi?!"

Sayomi snapped out of her thoughts as Yusuke's name reached her ears. She was about to run towards his direction, but Kurama grabbed her gently by the shoulder and held a finger to his lips, signaling her to keep quiet. They walked into the abandoned building and made their way through until they could see everybody from the vacant windows without being spotted themselves. On one side of the construction site was a mob of angry male teenagers. On the other side, Yusuke and Kuwabara were trembling on their weary legs.

"You _challenge_ us to a _face-off_ after all those ambushes?! Hope you're _ready to die!_ "

"Challenge _you?!_ You summoned _us,_ dipstick!" Yusuke countered angrily.

"After _beating up_ my _posse!_ " Kuwabara added in accusingly.

"What for? It's _us_ you wanted!" Yusuke yelled.

"What the hell you _babblin'_ about?!" One of the thugs asked, confused by the accusation.

"Don't play _dumb!_ " Yusuke growled.

"We ain't playin'! _We mean it!_ " Sayomi recognized the loud teen from earlier. The other teens shouted threats behind him. " _You're dead!_ "

"I don't think I'm _ready_ for this…" Kuwabara grumbled to his rival.

"Me neither!" Yusuke agreed, clenching his teeth nervously. "Ready or not, though, _here we go!_ "

The angry mob of teenage thugs charged toward the two exhausted fighters. Shirts were thrown off, weapons were raised, and a deafening battle cry erupted from the raging horde of delinquents. Yusuke and Kuwabara braced themselves for the oncoming pain that was approaching too quickly for the boys' liking.

"Hold it right there!"

The mob of teens stopped and stared in confusion as a few lone roses were thrown across the field. Yusuke and Kuwabara relaxed there tense bodies at the familiar voice and flowers. All eyes turned to see Kurama as he calmly walked up to the fighters with his hands in his pockets.

"Kurama!" Yusuke yelled, shocked but glad to see the red-head.

"What?!"

"Who's _this_ jerk?!"

"Starting early, gentlemen? Tsk… such impatience. It almost led you to beat up the _wrong guys._ " Kurama pointed an accusing finger towards a pile of lumber, where the imposters were hiding just out of sight. "The ones you _want_ are _over there!_ "

Everyone turned their attention to the two imposters. They hunched over and their lips twisted up into satisfied smirks.

"My, my, looks like we's busted. Oh well…" The Kuwabara imposter commented, carefree despite getting caught.

"The masquerade's run its course anyway. We've now got the manpower to crush all of you!" The Yusuke imposter declared with confidence.

"So _you're_ the ones who did the ambushing?" One of the thugs asked.

"And _fooled_ us into blaming Urameshi?" Another thug questioned.

" _You got it, morons!_ " The Kuwabara imposter confirmed. He raised a hand triumphantly with his partner in crime.

"Not that it _matters!_ You're _surrounded!_ " The Yusuke imposter declared. " _Forward, fellow half-breeds!_ "

A moment of silence passed. The crowd of teenagers looked around nervously until their nerves settled into confusion. The imposters held their positions as the silence stretched to a minute. When the imposters turned around, they nearly jumped out of their human skins. The Yusuke imposter let his true tongue spring from his mouth in shock before biting it.

"You looking for _these_ guys?" Hiei and Sayomi stood in front of a pile of unconscious half-demons. Sayomi crossed her arms and glared while Hiei continued to taunt the pathetic imposters. "Sorry. I thought I was just cleaning up some trash."

"Kn-know what I think…?" The Yusuke imposter asked, his voice pitched high with fear as he began to sweat and shake nervously.

"Oh yeah… We're _screwed!_ " The Kuwabara imposter squeaked in terror.

The two frauds clung to each other and laughed nervously as the mob began to surround them. "Punks… get ready… to pay _big time!_ "

" _Eeeeyaaah!_ " The Kuwabara imposter screamed with tears in his eyes.

" _Stay back! Or we'll—_ " The mob wasted no time beating to brains out of the two phonies. Even Kuwabara had jumped in on the action to get revenge for his friends. The two half-breeds were left in tattered clothes with bruises and swelling making it almost impossible to recognize them. Their bodies twisted and bent in unnatural directions and they dribbled blood from their busted lips.

"That was _close._ " Yusuke smiled in relief. "Thanks, Hiei. Sai."

"I couldn't let them just jump you while you're already down. It would be too pitiful to watch." Sayomi teased.

"I can't believe I had to step in at all." Hiei sneered at the detective. "No matter what shape you're in, you can't go losing to a coupla weenies like that. I lost to you—even if by a fluke—so that would hardly reflect well on me. You guys need to _toughen up!_ "

Sayomi glared at Hiei but kept her mouth shut. _As much as I hate to admit it, he has a point. If he becomes king, he'll need to keep on his toes at all times._

"Ha ha…" Yusuke laughed and rubbed the back of his head. " _That's_ a fact. I owe you for _two_ now."

"Who'd ever mistake _that_ pug-ugly for me?" Kuwabara growled as he came back from his revenge pummel.

"Happy to have you at my back, Hiei." Yusuke smiled and held out his hand. "Put 'er there!"

Hiei turned to the detective and met Yusuke's hand with an unmarked video cassette. Yusuke blinked in confusion and pulled the tape closer to inspect. "A _video tape?_ Of what?"

"Your next assignment from the Underworld." Hiei walked away, ignoring Yusuke's faceplant and Sayomi's suspicious stare.


	12. Chapter 12

"Ah, dammit!" Yusuke banged his clenched fist against the VCR. The TV box continued to emit black static and white noise.

Sayomi was sitting on Yusuke's bed, her head tilted in curiosity. "Is hitting it supposed to make it work? Because if so, you're doing a terrible job. Try hitting it harder."

"Shut up, Sai! I don't see _you_ coming up with any ideas." He ejected the video from the VCR and put it back in the case, grumbling to himself.

"Where I'm from, we don't have any technology as advanced as you humans seem to have. Although, I can't speak for other countries." Sayomi thought back to the monks and the empty deserts and plateaus. _I wonder what they would think about all this stuff…_

Yusuke sighed heavily and splayed himself on his back across the floor. "Well this sucks. How the hell am I supposed to watch the stupid video if my stupid VCR won't work?"

"Why don't you ask Keiko? Doesn't she have one?" Sayomi thought of the brunette and smirked to herself. She liked that Keiko had so much influence over the boy.

"I can't do _that!_ " He draped his arm over his eyes dramatically. "Besides, she'll only worry and it'd be better if she didn't know."

Sayomi quirked her eyebrow and asked, "But didn't you promise to be more honest with her?"

"How do _you_ know about that?!" He threw his arm away and glared up at the shadow demon.

Ignoring his question, she said, "I'm just saying, she would be worried either way. Better to be honest than to be caught telling a lie. What about Kuwabara? Does he have one of these things?"

Yusuke jolted up and pumped his fist, excitedly. "That's it! I knew you were worth having around!"

Sayomi glared at the boy, unamused with his remark. _He's lucky he's the King's heir._

 _The next day at Kuwabara's house…_

" _Hey, Botan!_ " Yusuke wasted no time confronting the reaper. "What's all this garbage?!"

"Now, now…" Botan smiled nervously, raising her hands to calm him down.

Sayomi smirked when she heard the story that Botan had used to explain the events to Keiko. _Yusuke's decided to get serious about his career options, so he's taken a job as a detective's assistant. He was investigating a drug ring when a deserter took refuge in the school. The ringleaders sent an assassin trained in hypnotism, and he hypnotized the teachers to act like a movie zombie mob as a distraction while he dealt with the deserter. The teachers, left unguided, got a little out of hand until the hypnotic effects wore off._

"…I was trying to explain stuff to Keiko without giving too much away." Botan defended, as if it was obvious. Kuwabara was holding the video, trying to figure out what it could have on it. "This is the 'explanation' I managed to cook up, and she seemed to buy it. Not bad, eh?"

"For lame improv comedy, maybe." Yusuke muttered to himself.

Botan held up a finger and continued to lecture the boy. "As you know, we must be _discreet!_ The facts about your job are _top secret._ It's _too dangerous_ for Keiko to know of the Underworld." Botan ended her argument by giving Yusuke a cat-like smile.

"Hmm… Can't argue that." Yusuke gave in reluctantly.

"Hey, how 'bout we _watch_ this thing?" Kuwabara interjected from his crouch on the floor. "I'm _achin'_ to know what's _on_ it."

"Why?" Yusuke asked, ignoring Botan's cat impression. "It has nothing to do with _you_ this time."

"Actually, Yusuke, I'm pretty curious myself." Sayomi spoke up. "The sooner we watch it, the sooner we can get it over with. But Yusuke has a point, Kuwabara. It might be best if you sit this one out."

"Whatever." Kuwabara muttered as he pushed the cassette into the VCR and pressed play. The TV started with the same white noise as before, but then it faded to black.

"Whoa…" Kuwabara muttered, holding his chin as he inspected the screen. Yusuke sat next to him and just waited for something to happen. Botan and Sayomi hovered over the boys curiously.

Suddenly, a young toddler appeared in the center of the screen. A blue Chinese hat with the Kanji for Enma displayed in the front, centered on a round, yellow patch. Jr was stitched underneath the emblem along the trim. He had large brown eyes and he suckled on a baby-blue pacifier. His royal blue tunic matched his bulbous hat. When he spoke, his voice was still high-pitched, but otherwise clear and unmistakable.

"My dad's off being a big deal again, so I'm back as Director of Underworld Investigations. This recording concerns your new mission! It will appear only as noise to normal humans, so don't worry about eavesdroppers."

"You're kidding!" Kuwabara gawked and pointed at the TV. " _This_ is your _boss?!_ Another snotty _shrimp-boat?!_ "

"My feelings, exactly," Yusuke muttered under his breath.

"He's less intimidating than he's made out to be…" Sayomi agreed.

"Hey! Pay attention!" The young Koenma snapped. Regaining his composure and everyone's attention, the young ruler held up his finger and closed his eyes to emphasize the seriousness of the issue. "Your mission this time is simplicity itself: a rescue!"

Sayomi and Yusuke watched on curiously while Kuwabara was already bored with the tape. Koenma clasped his hands together as he continued. "The rescuee: a non-human girl. That isn't to say she's entirely inhuman, but anyway…"

The screen changed to a scenic bird's-eye view of a mountain range. A large lake was at the center and it was covered in green forests and meadows. "… She's being held in a mansion in Bone Ulcer Village, a very desolate place. This much we've learned from reliable Underworld messenger birds."

The picture changed again to a photograph of a blizzard. Standing in the blizzard was a tall woman, looking over her shoulder as the chilling winds blew her hair and blue kimono back. Her face was obscured by the harsh storm. "She's an ice maiden, belonging to the demonic family of Winter Spirits. They are noted for the beautiful jewels they produce. She's been taken by a heartless human who is forcing her to produce these jewels…"

Yusuke and Sayomi watched on, curious to know more as the screen faded out. Kuwabara continued to watch, his interest slightly peaked. The screen faded back in to a close-up of one of Koenma's closed eyes. "She does so through…" The screen faded to another image of a single feminine eye, closed in grief as a single drop slipped free. "…her _tears._ "

"They must be pure rare crystal!" Botan concluded. "Worth _hundreds of millions_ on the Black Market!"

"So this dude is making her _cry_ to get these jewels?" Kuwabara asked, making sure he was understanding correctly.

The screen faded to another image. This time, a large, heavyset man dominated the television. He had a large knot on the top of his head with a thin ring of short hairs growing around it. He had a large round nose with wide nostrils and large lips that sagged in a constant frown. A thin mustache bridged across his upper lip. His cheeks and chin sagged in rolls of fat and he stared blankly ahead with droopy eyes. He wore a purple suit and tie with a white undershirt and he was holding a cigar in his hand. Large diamond rings adorned his sausage-like digits.

"Yes." Koenma answered. "The perpetrator is a human gem dealer named Gonzo Tarukane. He's always earned his living by unscrupulous means, but the ice maiden's jewels have made him enormously rich and powerful."

"Yeesh!" Kuwabara cringed, stuffing his face with handfuls of chips. "He sure _looks_ like a sleaze!"

"Worse than any _demon!_ " Yusuke agreed, speaking through a mouthful.

"I'm _glad_ he's not a demon." Sayomi added in, stealing a few chips from the bag as well.

The picture faded to another image as Koenma continued. "And this is an image of the girl telepathically relayed by the birds."

The image came into focus and Kuwabara stared at the TV in stunned silence, crumbs of chips left forgotten on his face. There was a window that was covered with warded paper talismans. Just beyond the wards, sitting alone in a simple red chair, was a young girl. She had long mint-green hair that was tied in a low ponytail with a red ribbon. Her light blue kimono fit her elegantly and it worked well with her pale complexion. A dark blue sash held the outfit together and a red trim could be seen just beneath the light blue fabric at the sleeves and collar.

What captured Sayomi's attention were her eyes. They were a familiar shade of red, but the girl's eyes reflected despair and loneliness. She remembered the story Kurama had told her just the other day. _Kurama had mentioned Hiei was searching for an ice maiden. Could she be…?_

The screen zoomed out to show the estate itself. They were keeping her on the second floor of the building towards the back. "She's confined to a room at Tarukane's Summer Mansion. The barrier of talismans must keep her restrained."

Suddenly, Kuwabara shot up to his feet, taking Yusuke off guard. His eyes stared ahead in a daze and a light shade of pink began to creep over his cheeks. He began to physically quiver as he muttered quietly to himself. "I'm in _love…_ "

"Huh?" Yusuke and Sayomi deadpanned.

"Let's go to that _village!_ " Kuwabara declared urgently.

"What? _Now?_ " Yusuke asked, stumped by his friend's enthusiasm.

"Of _course_ now!" Kuwabara yelled.

"But we haven't even finished the video." Yusuke pointed out, turning his attention back to the TV.

"What more do we need to know?" Kuwabara argued, stomping towards his door. "She's _suffering!_ And _we know why!_ Hustle yer butt, or I'll go _without_ you!"

The door opened before Kuwabara could get it himself and a tall young woman blocked his way. She had long brown hair and she lazily kept an unlit cigarette in her mouth. She was balancing a round tray with four cups of tea in her arms.

"Shizuru, lend me enough to get to Bone Ulcer!" Kuwabara demanded hurriedly.

"Honetarde Village? That's way in the next prefecture." She fished out some money from her pocket and watched him take off. "What's got _him_ fired up? My idiot brother's on another tear. You guys taking off too?"

"I'm staying for tea." Botan chirped happily.

"Might as well finish the video." Sayomi sighed and took a cup for herself.

"What _is_ going on?" Yusuke asked, still staring at the space where Kuwabara used to be.

"Mmm…" Botan smiled as she drank her tea. "Spring-time for Kuwabara."

 _Later that evening…_

"Oof." Yusuke jumped up to plant both feet on the edge of the wooden gate, using his left hand to grab the gate and his right arm to counter-balance. Kuwabara awkwardly swung both of his legs over before hopping down on the other side. Sayomi planted her right hand on the gate and swung her legs forward, vaulting herself over the barricade.

"Really something, reaching mountains after only an hour by train and bus." Yusuke mused, leisurely walking down the path with his hands in his pockets.

"I enjoyed the train. The bus, however, was not a pleasant experience. I'll keep to my own methods of transportation, thanks." Sayomi frowned at having to crowd into the vehicle with so many humans. _At least on the train, we had space to ourselves._

"There's plenty of countryside outside the city, but only the _rich_ get to enjoy it much." Kuwabara informed his rival as he tromped down the path.

"These tire tracks ought to lead us to the mansion." Yusuke reasoned.

"Did you figure that out by yourself, Yusuke?" Sayomi teased.

"You know what-?" Yusuke started but was immediately cut off.

"Patience, Lady of the Snow! I'll save you! So I swear!" Kuwabara proceeded to run ahead of the others, oblivious to their exchange.

"Wow! She really _got_ to him!" Yusuke observed nervously. "Good thing he didn't see the _rest_ of the video."

"Yeah, lucky _him_ …" Sayomi muttered as she remembered the tape. She felt her blood run cold as she recalled Koenma's warning.

" _One more thing, Yusuke, and this is important, as it involves a personal_ debt _you owe. The girl's name is Yukina and she is_ Hiei's sister."

Sayomi chewed her lip while she followed behind the boys, crossing her arms as she thought. _So this is why he was in the Human World in the first place? Yusuke and Kurama mentioned his Jagan eye. Something like that just isn't natural. So, does this mean he's an ice demon? But, I thought they were all_ female _. At least she doesn't seem so malicious. She looked so sad and resigned to her fate. You better be thankful for this, Hiei._ _Wait a minute… Does he even_ know _about this mission? If he finds out, this could—_

Sayomi bumped into Yusuke's back and she stumbled back a step, glaring up at him but he kept his eyes forward. Noticing Kuwabara's similar stance, she stepped around Yusuke to get a look at the stranger blocking their path.

He was a short young man with messy black hair and very droopy eyes. He was dressed in a simple, but expensive-looking, black suit and tie. Sayomi tensed and reached behind her back to grasp her weapon.

"Buzz off, guys." The stranger spoke with a lazy drawl. "This is private property."

"It's _late._ We missed our train, and we thought…" Kuwabara sputtered the first excuse he could think of.

"…We could _stay the night_ at Tarukane's mansion!" Yusuke finished hopefully.

Sayomi glared at the stranger but directed her thoughts elsewhere. _Really, Yusuke? You couldn't make it any more obvious?_

"No chance of _that._ Oh well…" There was a loud rip and Sayomi could see the stranger's pants tear into shreds. Instead of normal legs, there were several octopus-like tentacles squirming below the demon's waist. When he spread his hands, mouths opened at the centers of his palms.

" _Gack!_ " Yusuke and Kuwabara cringed at the sight. Sayomi pulled out her sickle.

"Sorry," the demon guard spoke in a gargling voice. "But you'll have to leave in _body bags._ " The rest of his suit continued to rip as the rest of his body changed shape. His skin tone turned to a forest green and six claw-like appendages extended from his chest. When they opened, a large mouth with sharp teeth opened and began to drool heavily. The creature's facial mouth extended out to a snout that resembled an ant-eater and his fingertips became small suction cups. "Once I send you to the _afterlife,_ you may ponder your _folly_ in setting foot on the property of Gonzo Tarukane."

"That's _gross,_ even for a demon!" Kuwabara recoiled in disgust.

"Don't think of turning back." The guard threatened. "No human who sees me like this _lives to tell_ of it!"

"Why?" Sayomi taunted him. "Is it because you're so _ugly?_ "

"You _wench!_ " The demon growled.

Yusuke glared at the demon, ignoring Sayomi's quip. "The girl being held here is a demon, too. One of your own kind, right? Doesn't it _bother_ you that these scumball humans are having their way with her?"

Sayomi glanced at Yusuke, curiously. _Does he really think it matters to this guy?_

"Why should it?" The demon questioned, as if it was obvious. "You _humans_ are always ready to sell each other out to please your selfish inclinations. Why would you expect _demons_ to be any _less_ greedy?" He rose his hand as he continued on. "Hee hee… I'd bet if there was a _pile of money_ in it for you, you'd each throw the _other_ to the _dogs_ for it."

"Then that's a fat lot _you_ know…" Yusuke lifted his glowing fist, clenching it tightly.

" _About us!_ " Kuwabara finished, summoning his Reiki Sword.

"These humans are more honorable than the likes of you." Sayomi clenched her weapon and silently willed shadows to cover the blade.

"Hah!" The guard leaped into the air, spreading his tentacles to reveal another hidden mouth surrounded by a ring of sharp teeth. "All _high and mighty,_ are we?!"

In an instant, Sayomi and Kuwabara dashed forward, cutting the demon in multiple pieces. His torso was severed from his waist and his arms and tentacles were chopped into smaller chunks. As the beast fell, he could only watch helplessly as Yusuke rose his right hand and fired off a direct Reigun blast.

Once he was down, Kuwabara clenched his sword and glared angrily at the body. "Why that no-good demon! No one is going to hurt my precious snowgirl!"

Sayomi and Yusuke sighed as he took off down the path. Chasing after him, it didn't take long for them to run into more demon guards. There were six guards this time and Kuwabara easily slashed through two of them without slowing down. Sayomi growled as she cut through two more demons and Yusuke covered his fist in Reiki to take out the last two.

"Six down!" Yusuke declared.

"You got _lucky,_ human scum!" Sayomi sighed as six more demons came running towards them. "We're _ready_ for you, now!"

"Stuff it, you pug-uglies!" Kuwabara snarled. He had somehow found the time to tie a headband to his forehead that read _I love snowgirl_. "Outta my way! I'm burnin' with romantic fury!"

"He's cranked to 11!" Yusuke joked.

"Let's just hope he doesn't blow himself out too soon." Sayomi commented.

"You asked for it!" Kuwabara charged and slashed his Reiki Sword through two more demons. "Hee-yah!"

Before Sayomi could take out her intended targets, Yusuke released a Reigun Rapid-fire to wipe out the remaining four demons. She growled, annoyed with his interference, but took a few deep breaths to calm herself. There was no reason for her to get so riled up over it.

"Next?!" Kuwabara asked the empty forest.

When nothing jumped out at them, they continued to follow the path until they reached the edge of the tree line. There was a large tan building with a dark green roof. Most of the windows were closed off with wooden blinds. A stone wall bordered the property with shrubbery and young trees planted at regular intervals. At the front gate, there were matching statues of young maidens standing on two pillars.

"That must be the mansion," Yusuke confirmed.

"Where my _heart's desire_ is caged." Kuwabara grinded his teeth and clenched his fist. "I'm _here,_ snowgirl! I'll _save_ you!"

Yusuke smirked nervously and crossed his arms. "You might want to confirm that she's here."

Sayomi bit her lip and kept her attention on the building. _What would he say if he knew just who his snowgirl was? I'm not gonna be the one to tell him._

"Right. Hmm…" Kuwabara raised his index finger to his head as he focused on the building. "I don't pick up anything. Those talismans we saw in the video must shield against my sixth sense. On the other hand, I'm picking up three demonic auras way stronger than the dozen we just wiped out…"

"Three demons left, eh?" Yusuke grinned wickedly. "Well, they may be powerful, but _I'm_ ready to take on _anything._ I've got my Reigun Rapid-fire down to a sweet science."

"Three means one each, right?" Sayomi smirked to herself in excitement. "That means I can try out this new technique I've been working on."

"And me…" Kuwabara held up his fist, clenching it until his knuckles popped. "I felt _new power_ surging within me as soon as I recovered from my last injuries. We've gone _up_ a level!"

"Let's go!" Yusuke commanded, leading the trio into the mansion.

Sayomi started searching the windows for a way in. When she heard the door open, she turned to see Yusuke walking in without any trouble. She sighed and followed after them. _Great… I'm starting to act like Hiei._

"Which way?" Yusuke looked up and down the hallways, trying to find a clue to guide him.

"We're not getting anywhere just standing here! I'm coming, Snowgirl!" Kuwabara picked a path to the left and took off.

"Damn it, Kuwabara! If you get nearly killed again, I am _not_ healing your ass!" Sayomi growled, taking off after him.

"Is this the right way?!" Yusuke called out, following behind.

When Kuwabara stopped suddenly, Sayomi froze and blocked Yusuke from stepping out into the hall. Kuwabara dived across the hall just before a barrage of bullets could penetrate him. The teens made eye contact and nodded in acknowledgement. Yusuke held up his hand and counted down with his fingers. When he got to zero, they dashed into the hall.

Sayomi covered herself with shadows to distort her shape and make it harder for the gunmen to get a clear shot. Yusuke and Kuwabara were able to dodge the bullets, forcing them to use up their ammo and reload.

" _Keep_ _firing!_ "

"Blast! They're _fast!_ "

Yusuke and Kuwabara took the chance to make their way behind the men and knock them out. Sayomi tripped the rest and let the shadows fade away from her.

"Quantity can't replace quality, dudes." Yusuke smirked with his hands in his pockets.

Kuwabara pointed at the few guards left. "It's obvious when and where you're going to shoot."

"Th—they're _not human!_ " One of the guards stammered.

"Guns are _useless_ against them!"

"Precisely. Step aside." A feminine voice spoke up, placing a delicate hand behind one of the guard's shoulders. She had long blue hair and violet eyes. Her ears were pointed and she had a single horn at the center of her forehead. She wore a pair of white martial arts pants with a red, flower-patterned top. "Hello. I'm Miyuki, Ogre Triad Vertex One.

" _Haah!_ " She jumped and was out of sight for just a moment.

' _Yipes!_ " Yusuke and Kuwabara dodged her just in time before a crater was left in the floor where they were standing.

"She's a _girl!_ " Kuwabara stressed, crouching on a knee. "I _can't_ fight a _girl!_ "

"That's sweet…" Miyuki cooed behind a veil of hair. "But a _mistake._ Chivalry on _your_ part doesn't mean mercy on _my_ part."

"Are you _serious_ right now? What happened to saving your precious snowgirl?!" Sayomi growled. She hated being looked down on for her gender. What was he trying to prove by not fighting for such a stupid reason?

"I don't care." Yusuke spoke up calmly, glaring at the woman. "Man or woman, young or old… You want a fight, I'll _give_ you one.

"Better make sure, first…" Yusuke crouched before dashing towards Miyuki. She, in turn, dashed towards him with a defiant shout. Within the blink of an eye, Yusuke and Miyuki ended up on opposite ends of the hallway.

Miyuki growled and held her arms to cover her chest and torso protectively. "Y-you _impertinent_ whelp!"

Sayomi and Kuwabara exchanged confused glances while Yusuke looked back at his opponent. He confidently lifted his hand and said, " _Rude,_ I know! But _that_ should give you an idea of what you're up _against._ "

" _Arr! Silence!_ " Miyuki angrily threw herself at Yusuke.

Yusuke connected his right fist with her face while she was still in midair. She landed several feet away, lying face down in a crumpled heap.

Kuwabara couldn't take his wide eyes away from the defeated demon. "You really _don't_ care, do you?"

"Of course not, Kuwabara. You can't underestimate an opponent just because it's a woman." Sayomi lectured the boy. _Especially if she's a demon._

"Well," Yusuke muttered, cupping his chin in serious thought. "I was gonna go a _little_ easy on a real girl, but then I _checked!_ " He held up his hand, palm facing up, and twitched his fingers as if he was squeezing something. "'She's' a demon _cross-dresser!_ "

" _Guh!_ " Kuwabara recoiled from the delinquent. "You _didn't!_ "

"On that first pass I discovered 'her' bust was either an implant or padding…" Yusuke grimaced as he recalled the moment. "…And that 'she' was packin' mighty _heavy_ downstairs."

"It seems Master Genkai's training has improved your speed and dexterity." Sayomi observed, raising an eyebrow in concern. "At the moment, I can't tell if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

"Incredible! I didn't see _any_ of that!" Kuwabara twitched nervously at his rival's skills. "Gawd… Can't decide if I'm _impressed_ or _grossed out!_ "

"A little of _both_ , if you ask me." Sayomi muttered.

"Bigot! You _beat_ on me because I'm _different!_ " Miyuki lifted her head from the ground, her cheek already beginning to bruise and swell. "I'm a man in body, but my _soul_ is a _woman's!_ "

"Oh, really? What a _load!_ " Yusuke turned to Miyuki and pointed at her accusingly. "You're not a _real_ cross-dresser—you just _can't make up your mind!_ You might wanna _do that_ before you get into _any more fights!_ "

Miyuki gasped in bafflement by the teen's words. Then she lowered her head into her arms, her shoulders trembling as she whispered, "You're so right…"

At the sound of a whirring camera, Sayomi and the boys turned to flash victory signs at Tarukane.

"Heads up, Tarukane!" Kuwabara called out.

"Two more, and we're in your face!" Yusuke taunted with a smug grin.

"Better be ready for a well-deserved beating when we find you!" Sayomi threatened excitedly.

After that, the trio took off down the hallway, leaving Miyuki and the unconscious guards behind. Sayomi smiled as the adrenaline pressed her to run faster as she anticipated the next enemy. _This isn't too bad. I don't know why the monks were so worried._

"I _can't_ believe you. What if that'd really been a girl?" Kuwabara reprimanded Yusuke.

"Then I'd've gotten some _cheap thrills._ " Yusuke laughed, as if it was obvious.

"Yukimura'd _love_ to hear that." Kuwabara muttered in Yusuke's ear from behind.

Yusuke's shoulders slumped in guilt before he turned on Kuwabara, grabbing his shirt in anger. "Are you sayin' you'd _tell_ her?!"

"If he doesn't tell her, I will." Sayomi spoke up from the sidelines. "I'm curious about what she would do about something like this."

"You're not helping, Sai!" Yusuke yelled, still glaring at Kuwabara.

"Well, there's this CD I've coveted…" Kuwabara mumbled. He stopped midsentence then pushed Yusuke back, forcing him to let go. " _Look out!_

"Unh!" Kuwabara grunted as his arm began to bleed out from a fresh cut and his headband was cut from his head.

"Greetings! I'm Vertex Two: _Inmaki!_ " The demon assassin was short, maybe two feet or so. He was dressed in traditional ninja garb with a cape and mask. All that was visible was a deadly glare and a few stray bangs of dark hair. He wore claw-like blades over his knuckles and one of them was dripping with blood. With a flip of his cape, he faded from sight like a ghost. "Heh heh…"

"Didya see _that?!_ His _cape_ —" Kuwabara gawked at the spot where the demon had stood. "—It made him _invisible!_ "

Sayomi clicked her tongue and shifted her vision to the infrared spectrum. The lights disoriented her vision a bit, but only if she shifted her gaze too high. As she looked around the room, she could see the two body heat signatures that were Yusuke and Kuwabara. The boys could only stand and look around helplessly. However, Inmaki would dash across the room at such random angles and with so much speed that she couldn't get a lock on him. The best she could do was dodge his attacks.

"Can you _pinpoint_ him?!" Yusuke shouted over his shoulder at the young psychic.

"No! He's too _fast!_ Direction keeps _shifting!_ " Kuwabara reported quickly.

"Even if you _could_ see him, he's too fast to get a good hit in! I'm doing all I can just to _dodge!_ " Sayomi clenched her teeth, annoyed with the disadvantage.

" _Yaah!_ " Yusuke cried out, his shoulder bleeding from a deep scratch. Inmaki unveiled himself as he chuckled to himself.

Sayomi growled angrily as she let her aura seep over her body. She grabbed her sickle, coating it in darkness, and attacked Inmaki. Not expecting her attack, he turned in time to block with one of his claws. Taking advantage of the brief stalemate, the assassin attacked with his other claw. The steel connected with her left bicep and she bit down a scream and turned it into a deep growl.

" _Cripes! Let's scram!_ " Yusuke shouted as he made for an escape with Kuwabara keeping up behind. They clutched to their wounds as they ran, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Heh heh…" Inmaki chuckled and pushed Sayomi away, cloaking himself with his cape again. "Can't fight what you can't see."

Sayomi clasped onto her arm and ran off behind the boys, shifting her vision back to normal. They dashed around a corner into another hallway, hoping to shake the demon.

It's no _use!_ " Inmaki called out as he closed in.

" _Now,_ Urameshi!"

The hallway became blindingly bright as Yusuke released his Reigun Rapid-fire throughout the space. Loud blasts assaulted Sayomi's ears as each bullet made impact with the wall at the end. It was covered in small craters except for one area in the center that was left undamaged.

"Then again…" Yusuke smirked as his fist cooled down from the attack. "…Quantity _can_ be useful."

"H… How…?" Inmaki had slumped to the floor in tattered clothing and bleeding orifices.

"You could hide from the light, but your _body heat_ can't be hidden as easily." Sayomi glared down at the imp as she elaborated. "It then became an issue with you advantage with the open space. You could attack from anywhere."

"That cape hid you from sight, but _not_ my _sixth sense._ " Kuwabara explained. "An' you're not much to speak of once you lose the advantage of invisibility."

"Once Kuwabara gave the signal, I just _filled_ that doorway with _Reiki blasts_ , some of which were _bound_ to hit." Yusuke concluded, holding out his fist.

Another camera whirred behind them as it focused. They turned confident smirks to the watching audience and each held up a single index finger to the camera.

" _One left!_ "


	13. Chapter 13

Yusuke twisted his body so he was facing the ground, with his hands acting like cat's paws as he landed a solid kick with both legs to the demon's face. Next to his left, Kuwabara delivered a similar kick to the beast's face, but he was facing upwards. Sayomi was using the demon's shadow to keep him in place.

The demon was an actual red ogre with a wooden spiked club. He covered his waistline with a grass skirt and ropes. He had wild black hair that blended with his thick eyebrows and mustache. He had three horns on his head and he was at least three times the boys' heights. Wrapped around his body were thick chain links that ascended from the demon's shadow. Once he fell on his back, blood spilling from his nose and mouth, the shadows dispersed.

Yusuke and Kuwabara each planted a foot on the ogre's chest and pointed to the ceiling with thuggish expressions. " _That's three!_ _Your time's run out, Tarukane!_ "

"I didn't even introduce myself…" The ogre muttered before passing out.

The boys proceeded to punch towards the camera and throw peace signs with smug grins. Sayomi crossed her arms and tapped her foot as she watched their display. "Guys, I don't think we have time for this."

"Yeah yeah, we're comin'." Yusuke drawled as he turned to Kuwabara. "Where to now?"

"I'm getting a feeling this way! Come on!" He took off down a hallway, leaving Yusuke and Sayomi to chase after him.

"I don't detect any demons!" Yusuke notified the team.

"Let's find my Ice Maiden and _clean Tarukane's clock!_ " Kuwabara ordered as he ran.

"You haven't even _met_ her and you're already staking your claim? You humans are so straight-forward." Sayomi observed.

"That's just him, actually." Yusuke muttered to her behind Kuwabara's back.

" _Whoah!_ " Before Kuwabara could retort, he skidded to a stop, forcing Yusuke and Sayomi to mimic his actions. "I _sense_ something! Not evil… it's _her! Must be!_ "

"I'll try to make contact!" He lifted his finger to his forehead to help his focus. "'Cept…. I don't know her _name!_ "

"Yukina." Yusuke and Sayomi deadpanned.

"How do _you guys_ know?!" Kuwabara grilled.

"We watched the entire video!" Yusuke answered, frustrated with his friend's inattention to detail.

Kuwabara brushed off the detective and continued to concentrate. In the meantime, Yusuke and Sayomi waited patiently. When Kuwabara fell over dramatically, Yusuke looked at him curiously while Sayomi shook her head at the thought of what could have possibly happened. Then he jumped back to his feet with a confident grin. Sayomi smirked to herself as she watched him. _I gotta admit, when he wants something, he doesn't give up. I guess that's why they get along so well._ She shifted her eyes to Yusuke.

"You're outside those suppressing wards! I know where you are!" Kuwabara suddenly took off running down the hall again at full speed. "Like it or not, you're being rescued!"

Kuwabara led the trio through what seemed like a maze of turns before he found stairs that led down. "This way! The basement!"

Once in the basement, they ran by glass cells with grotesque looking demons and monsters. Sayomi nearly tripped and almost threw up when they ran past a certain cell that was painted in blood and intestines. A large beast was torn in half and blood was splattered all over the room.

"Ick! What the heck's that?!" Yusuke asked, just as appalled as Sayomi.

"Who cares? Onward!" Kuwabara ignored the gore altogether and pointed ahead as he charged ahead.

A sudden loud creak reached their ears before they saw the large steel doors shutting on them.

"Uh-oh! Those doors!" Kuwabara panicked.

"Before they close!" Yusuke yelled as he sped up.

The boys made it through just before the doors slammed shut. Sayomi ran to the locked doors and began pounding on them, yelling in rage as she was separated from her charge. _Damn it all! Why?!_

Her pounding dwindled down to a slow stop. She took deep breaths as she tried to calm down. "Okay. Let's think this through. I can stay here and get nowhere…" She turned and slumped down with her back against the door. "…Or I can find another way in."

She closed her eyes and continued her deep breathing exercises. She relaxed her body first before trying to quiet her mind. _Okay. I need to get to Yusuke, but I also need to rescue Yukina. Yusuke has Kuwabara with him so he should be okay. Hopefully. Kuwabara even said he didn't sense anything strong, but that could be a trap. However, if Kuwabara was able to get a read on Yukina, there's no reason_ I _shouldn't be able to get a lock on her._

She made her decision and expanded her senses throughout the building. She could sense the boys behind the door, but there was no way she could get through that way. She probed further just to get an idea of what they were up against. She could sense two others in there with them, but she still couldn't get a clear estimate of just how strong they were. They felt just a bit stronger than humans.

She reached out further and could sense the ice maiden, Yukina. She had a very peaceful aura that just _felt_ like a glacial blue. It felt cold, but in a soothing way, like taking a deep drink of cold water on a scorching summer day. She found herself more at ease just by being near the girl.

 _How could she give off such a serene aura and be related to_ Hiei _of all people? If he's been searching for her for over two years, it's no wonder he's so angry. He must have been worried sick about her. I wonder if she's looking forward to being with her brother again…_

A sudden pain in her chest made her stumble on her breathing for a brief moment. She slipped back into rhythm within a couple breaths. … _She's very fortunate…_

She began to brush past the girl and try to feel her way through the building to find a quick enough path. As she neared the front entrance, she caught a familiar signature and her breathing became shallow. _Oh crap… I knew he'd find out sooner or later!_

After she recovered her sense of self, she stood up and made her way back through the basement. She made sure to ignore the carnage of the poor beast's cell. When she made it up the stairs, she searched along the ceiling and the floor. When she found what she was looking for, she smiled and let her shadow aura merge her with the shadows inside the air vent.

She couldn't remember all the turns they made in the halls, but inside the ventilation system, all the shadows were connected. It was no problem for her to immediately make her way anywhere so long as the shadows were connecting. It sucked with broken shadows but she could adapt if need be.

She let the shadows take her in the natural direction based on where she felt the aura signature. To her it felt smooth and casual like slipping into a dream. When the light hit her eyes, her physical body re-manifested. She kicked out the vent gate and jumped into a hall with some unconscious guards.

She knelt down by one of them and touched her fingers to his throat. _Good. He still has a pulse. Now where is_ he?

It didn't take her long to catch up with the demon in question. Just down the hall and around the corner, Hiei was facing away from her and holding a guard in place by the throat, his katana just barely against the man's jugular. He was speaking in a low and dangerously calm voice. "I _know_ she's here. Either tell me where, or I'll end your life now."

"Drop him, Hiei!" Sayomi called out as soon as she saw him.

Hiei looked at her over his shoulder, glaring at her with a murderous gaze. "Why should I?"

"Because I know where Yukina is." Sayomi kept her voice calm and steady, trying to avoid triggering the wrong reaction. When he kept his silence, she pressed on. "Yusuke and Kuwabara are currently fighting some demon goons, but I think I might've found another path to her."

Hiei let go of the human guard, then hit the back of his head with the hilt of his sword. The guard was unconscious instantly and left with the rest of the sleeping security. "What do you know about Yukina?"

"I know she's your sister and that you've been searching for her for a couple years now." Sayomi crossed her arms and kept her outside appearance calm and collected, but on the inside she was trying to steady her rapid heartbeat.

Hiei walked towards her slowly, his sword still drawn. "How do you know this?"

"I watched the video with Yusuke."

"Obviously. How do you know _I've_ been looking for her for two years?"

Sayomi hesitated, biting her lip nervously. _Should I tell him? I know he has some respect for Kurama, but what will happen if I tell him that_ he _was the one that told me. Man, I hope he doesn't get too angry with him._ "Kurama told me."

Hiei stopped walking when he was within striking range for his sword. He didn't say anything at first. Instead, he just glared at her, as if he was probing her sincerity.

When Sayomi felt a little tingle in the back of her head, she tried to scratch at it. As the feeling increased, she applied a little more pressure until she had an epiphany. The more Hiei glared at her, the stronger the itch became. She then recalled a comment that he made back at the Labyrinth Castle, followed by a comment from Kurama's story.

" _You would be better off accepting him as an ally than looking for reasons to label him as an enemy._ "

" _And your evil eye… Your aura indicates you got it quite recently. That's not something one acquires without a compelling reason._ "

 _Oh shit… It's his_ Jagan! Sayomi glared at Hiei and growled, "Quit that!" Once the words left her mouth, she lowered her gaze to the ground to focus on her breathing. Hiei was still glaring at her, but the itch was no longer present. Her voice was soft-spoken, but in the silence, it was clear enough for him to hear. "I would appreciate it if you could refrain from just reading my mind as you please."

"Hn." Hiei sheathed his sword and said, "That damn fox needs to learn to keep his mouth shut."

When she lifted her eyes, she saw him just standing in front of her with his arms crossed. "It's not his fault…"

"The damage is already done. Just tell me where Yukina is."

Sayomi took a few more breaths and extended her energy again. This time, it didn't take her long to get a lock on the girl. "She's not in the talisman room anymore, but she's still with the humans. Yusuke and Kuwabara must be having a harder time than I thought…"

"What do you mean?" Hiei narrowed his eyes, curiosity piquing his interest. "Are you insinuating that she is trackable at the moment?"

"Yusuke and Kuwabara are fighting the Brokers of Darkness. They were supposed to be the last two opponents. I wasn't able to see anything about them but they didn't feel that strong." Sayomi chewed her lip as she began to worry about the boys. "We were able to contact her shortly after we defeated the Triad."

"If they're fighting now, then that means they won't be as focused on her. Take me to her now so I can end it."

"Are you going to kill him?" Sayomi couldn't help but ask. He had a reputation for being a cold-blooded killer. Yet, Sayomi couldn't help but hope that he would refrain from killing the human, even if he was a criminal. If living with the monks had taught her anything, it was the value of life. Her King seemed to think even more so when it came to human lives, no matter how wicked they could be.

"Of course I am. He has it coming."

Sayomi sighed and began to make her way through the mansion with Hiei tailing close behind. _Can't say I don't blame him, but…_ She looked at him over her shoulder. _…Is he really willing to kill someone in front of Yukina?_

"What's with the pitiful staring?" He kept his eyes forward, but the look she was giving him was beginning to annoy him.

"Are you going to kill him right in front of her?"

"As I said, he has it coming." Then, as if in afterthought, his tone sounded just a little less threatening. "How much further?"

"I'm sure you can sense her for yourself by this point." She sighed heavily before she began to take off at an easy run.

Not expecting the sudden change in pace, Hiei only hesitated a second before running after her. He began to focus on his third eye, keeping the white cloth covering in place. He could sense her in a room with a few humans, including the one who took her. He growled and picked up the speed, leaving Sayomi to chase after him instead.

"Hiei! You can't _kill_ him!" Sayomi shouted after him. She knew he wasn't using his full speed, but he was still hard to keep up with. "It'll only make your punishment _worse!_ "

She clenched her jaw when he refused to acknowledge her. _Why am I surrounded by stubborn men?! If he kills Tarukane, he might not be able to even_ see _his sister after this is all over. The Underworld will not let that slide and, unfortunately, neither can I…_

As she chased after him, Sayomi focused on Hiei's shadow as he ran. _This sucks, that last demon was a snail compared to Hiei!_

Clicking her tongue, Sayomi covered herself in shadows to catch up and trip him. Relying on his reflexes, Hiei used his hand to flip himself over to face the shadow demon. She wasted no time in using his stationary position to her advantage. She only got close enough for their shadows to meet on the floor before solid black chains emerged and shackled his limbs to his own shadow. He glared at her with such murderous intent that Sayomi felt a cold shiver run down her spine.

"You need to calm down, Hiei. I understand your anger…" She tried to speak some sense into him before he growled at her.

"If you think you can stop me with this then you are gravely mistaken." He was kneeling on one knee and was using his other leg to force himself up.

Sayomi kept her calm as her dark aura continued to swirl about her semi-physical form. _So long as I can maintain control, I_ should _be able to hold him at least for a little while._ "You need to calm down, Hiei. It's my mission to save her too, but we can't _kill_ the guy."

Ignoring her words, Hiei struggled against the chains. Sayomi could feel the strain as she tried to keep him down. "She's in the same room with him, so it'll be easy to find them. They're probably watching Yusuke and Kuwabara fight even as we speak. If you kill him in front of her, you'll not only be screwing yourself over with the Underworld, but what will Yukina think when sees her own _brother_ is a murderer?"

Sayomi let out a small sigh of relief when she felt his resistance subside. When he spoke, it was so low that she wondered if she heard him right. "She doesn't know…"

"Doesn't know what? That her brother is a wanted criminal?" Sayomi wondered how she could _not_ know when his reputation was so infamous.

"She doesn't know I'm her brother and there's no reason she should." Sayomi felt glued to her spot as her aura dissipated and the shadow chains receded into the floor, releasing their captive. "We have different mothers and she's an ice maiden..."

He got to his feet and looked at her evenly. "They're supposed to keep to their wintry realm. It's been two years since I learned she was missing, after the little fool snuck off to frolic with some animal. No doubt that's when the Brokers got wind of her."

"Two years… You met Kurama a year ago. And according to him and Yusuke, your eye is not natural, right? Did you get it to look for her?"

"Hn." Without another word, Hiei ran off through the mansion again. This time Sayomi didn't bother trying to stop him. She was too confused by his claim.

 _How could she not_ know? _Is he saying they only share the same father? But according to Koorime lore, they shouldn't need a male to repopulate. So is he lying? Probably. But even so, then what is the_ real _story?_

As they neared the ice maiden, the number of guards began to increase by the dozen. Sayomi felt grateful when she noticed Hiei's sword stayed in its sheath as he struck. Sayomi used the chain in her sickle to aim for pressure points just hard enough to immobilize them.

"Rev up the _helicopter_ , Sakashita! Yukina and I are _leaving! Now!_ " Sayomi heard the panicked voice and darted into the room in time to take care of a couple guards while Hiei subdued another guard and the main butler. "Hee hee… Why worry? With the tears of ice I'll…"

"Turn around, fatso." Hiei kept his voice calm yet threatening as he stepped in front of the ice maiden and fixed a dark look at Tarukane. Sayomi placed her hands gently on Yukina's shoulders to let her know that she was safe. Hiei began to walk slowly towards the trembling mad crime lord with clenched fists. "I hear you kept Yukina caged with _talismans._ Explains why my Evil Eye couldn't find her. But then you let her out. _Careless…_ "

"St… Stay away… _No…_ " Tarukane's voice pitched, and he raised a hand to shield himself as he broke out in a nervous sweat.

With no hesitation or restraint, Hiei delivered a solid punch through the center of Tarukane's face. The force was enough to break a few teeth, break his nose, and swell his face enough so he couldn't open his eyes. Losing consciousness instantly, the billionaire was blown off his feet and he crashed into the thick glass panel, causing a bloody web of cracks.

Hiei looked down at the twitching man as he struggled to breathe. "I won't kill you. Yukina's worth far more than _your_ pitiful life."

Sayomi smiled in relief at his words. _At least he won't get punished any more than he already is. And this way, he might be able to see her._ When Yukina moved forward towards the swordsman, Sayomi let her go easily and slipped her hands in her pockets, walking towards the glass panel to get a glimpse of the view. Yusuke was on his feet with his hands in his pockets while Kuwabara was sitting up, resting one of his arms on his raised knee while his other arm supported his weight.

"Th… Thank you. Um… Who _are_ you?" Yukina's voice was so quiet and small that Sayomi couldn't help feeling protective of the innocent girl.

"Oh, just… a friend of theirs." Hiei answered neutrally, keeping his eyes on the boys.

"Oh, my! They _need_ me!" Yukina saw the boys and scurried off downstairs to thank them for their help.

Hiei watched her leave while Sayomi took notice of another body in the arena. He was a strong-looking man with very well-defined muscles and sharp facial features. His eyes were covered by a pair of sporty sunglasses. His hair was black and slicked back but the bottom half of his scalp was shaved. He was splayed out on his back with Kuwabara's Reiki sword piercing through his abdominals. She also noticed a strange sword that had fallen from the man's right hand. It looked as though long black hair was coming from the twisted guard.

"You didn't tell her after all." Sayomi couldn't help but feel sad for the siblings. _Does she even realize she has a brother to begin with?_

"No, and you would do well to keep your mouth shut. Besides, she's better off not having a murderer for a brother."

Sayomi felt a sharp pain in her chest as he used her own words. "Hiei… I can—"

"Huh? Sayomi and… Hiei?!" The two demons turned their attention to Yusuke as he barged into the room. His clothes were in tatters and he was covered in scratches and bruises.

Sayomi quirked an eyebrow at the boy and asked, "Are you okay? You look like you could use some healing."

"Yeah, and don't worry about Kuwabara. Yukina is taking care of him as we speak." He walked up to Hiei and his tone became serious. "So, how was the family reunion?"

Sayomi made her way to the detective and set to work healing his wounds. _Not as bad as it could've been…_ She refrained from looking back at Hiei.

"Hn." Hiei simply slipped his hands into his pockets and walked out of the room.

Yusuke looked down at Sayomi as she finished up. "Was it something I said?"

Sayomi shook her head no. "Not the best of endings, but at least he left the humans alive."

Yusuke thought it over for a moment before he shrugged his shoulders. "It's not our place to intrude. At least she's safe."

"Yeah…" Sayomi allowed herself a small smile for Yusuke's optimism.

"C'mon, let's go round up Yukina and _lover boy._ " Yusuke made his way back down through a door down the hall. Sayomi nodded and followed close behind him.

Later that night, Sayomi was sitting on the roof of Yusuke's apartment. The moon was almost full and the illumination was soothing and she could feel the natural darkness that made up the night. She easily slipped into her meditative state of mind and confronted her Shade.

" _So, what's got you so down in the dumps this time?_ " Her shadow self was sitting across from her. Unlike usual, it was hugging its knees to its chest with its eye cast down at the floor.

Sayomi kept her expression neutral. "You know very well the cause for the emotion. It's not something I wish to discuss at the moment."

Her Shade lifted its head slightly, still exuding loneliness. " _Does it still hurt?_ "

Sayomi felt a dull ache in her chest but chose to ignore it. "Time heals all wounds."

" _Yet there are still scars left behind. Constant reminders of the past._ "

"I can't waste the present by living in the past." Sayomi kept her breathing even, trying to stay in control of the conversation. She refused to acknowledge how right the Shade was. _There's nothing I can do about it except learn from it._

Her Shade sighed heavily and crossed its arms as its mood shifted quickly. "Then what do you want already? I'm getting tired of your self-pity party!"

Sayomi smirked and asked, "What can you tell me about _this?_ " She slipped her left arm out of the sleeve to show the Shade the markings. Just behind her shoulder, there were some wisps of black that resembled stripes. They creeped over her shoulder and slithered just a bit further across her back.

Her Shade tilted its head at the markings and smirked. " _You don't understand what's happening, do you?_ "

Sayomi readjusted her clothing and looked directly at her shadow self. "I know what it is. I would like to know how to maintain it. How can I keep it under control?"

The Shade's smirk began to slip from its expression. It hugged its legs to its chest again and it began to shake like a leaf. " _You can't stop it. Eventually, you will be consumed. You can only use so much power before it starts to use you._ "

Sayomi kept her expression neutral. "What if I master it?"

Her Shade began to shake its head as it muttered to itself. " _No, no, no… It's too late. You've already triggered the change._ "

"What change? I thought I would fade away…" Sayomi remembered her teacher back in the Demon Plane. He explained that it would be dangerous for her to learn to fight because Shadow demons were notorious for fading away into the Void. He mentioned that only the strongest demons could resist fading away.

" _You fade… You fade away until…_ " Her Shade continued to tremble before it eventually faded into the darkness. Sayomi could only hear the echo of its fearful cries. " _No, no, no…_ "

When Sayomi opened her eyes and looked up at the night sky, she couldn't help letting out a heavy sigh. "A change… That's not very helpful."

A faint memory began to emerge from her subconscious and she shut her eyes, trying to banish it altogether. _If that's true then…_

Sayomi laid on her back and gazed at the stars. "Then there's only one thing I can do…" She shut her eyes, letting sleep cloud her thoughts. "If only the strongest can handle this change, then that just means I need to get stronger."


	14. Chapter 14

Kuwabara stared off at nothing as he and his friends walked to school for the morning. His hands were in his pockets and his shoulders slumped in sorrow. He didn't bother to tune in to the conversation behind him.

"Why d'ya suppose Kuwabara's been so _wound up_ lately?"

"Yeah, he's been _quiet_ the past coupla days."

Sayomi walked in the back of the group behind Yusuke and Botan. She kept her arms in her pockets as she listened to his classmates in front of them. The boy on the far right had shaggy blond hair with sharp features. The boy in the middle kept his dark hair buzzed short and his head reminded Sayomi of an egg. The human boy on the far left was the heavy-weight of the group. His dark hair was combed back and he had a pudgier nose than the others. Her ears perked when she heard the familiar sound of coins.

"Five hundred yen says it's a new image." The pudgy boy muttered low to keep Kuwabara from noticing.

"Four hundred yen says he saw a downer movie." The egg-head suggested as he held up a finger before putting in his bet.

"Eight hundred yen says he was dumped!" The blond exclaimed confidently as he pitched in.

"Kirishima's pegged it." Yusuke smiled in glee that someone was able to tell.

"Huh? He wasn't dumped." Botan objected firmly with a scowl.

Yusuke turned to his Underworld assistant. "But his ice maiden's gone home to the glaciers." Then he lowered his voice and muttered, "Hey, lose the schoolgirl act."

"So?" Botan sighed, clasping her hands as she smiled broadly. "Long-distance relationships can be _very romantic!_ "

"Doesn't sound very romantic to _me._ " Sayomi muttered. "Just sounds like a trap."

"Oh, Sayomi. Just wait until _you_ meet the right someone." Botan resembled that of a mischievous feline as she smiled over her shoulder. "Then you'll understand that love can overcome such silly things."

Sayomi quirked her eyebrow and asked, "You do realize this is reality, right?"

Yusuke chuckled as Botan sighed and sobered from the banter. She returned her attention to the boy. "In other respects, though, this case leaves a bad after-taste. Hiei copped out. He didn't tell Yukina he was her brother…"

"Yeah…" Yusuke muttered.

Sayomi recalled the incident and flinched. _I was too cruel…_

"Well, at least he didn't _kill_ Tarukane," Botan added optimistically. "Killing humans – even loathsome toads like that – is forbidden. He'd be arrested for it. There was strong debate in the Underworld about telling Hiei in the first place. We compromised by assigning him to deliver that tape to you." Botan chirped with a broad smile and her finger pointed. She laughed nervously at Yusuke's scowl.

"Leaving it to him to watch it or not? That's pretty _lame,_ Botan." Yusuke deadpanned.

"Yeah… well, case closed." Botan surmised. "You're not up for any assignments right now, so take a breather."

Sayomi stopped following the group once they reached the school gate. Instead, she wandered off on her own to think about other matters. Her mind wandered back to Hiei and Yukina. _I wonder if he'll ever tell her the truth. I don't blame him, but he should at least let her have a say… Things might actually turn out well for them in the end if he just gives it a chance. He might even smile every once in a while._

It wasn't long before she found herself at a local park. Older couples walked together down the paths while new parents played with their little ones on the artificial jungle gyms. Ducks swam in a nearby river and squirrels scurried around the bases of various trees for nuts.

All in all, it filled Sayomi with an unfamiliar sense of peace. She searched for a place that was a little more secluded and found a nice spot along the water's edge. She had wandered off the path into the thicket of trees that were clustered together. She wandered just deep enough so that she wouldn't be disturbed.

She settled down on a large boulder and began her deep breathing exercises to calm her mind. She relaxed her body and closed her eyes, allowing her other senses more exposure to her surroundings. She could hear the trickle of the water and smell the greenery in the area. She could feel the wind breeze through the trees and against her skin and taste the moisture in the air. With every inhale she would let a negative thought come to surface in her mind before letting it go with every exhale.

It wasn't long before she caught on to a vaguely familiar smell. It was faint and muddled due to her close proximity with the water. It smelled like a bonfire with a hint of musk that could only belong to a male. She decided to ignore it as she focused more on her immediate surroundings. It smelled too distant to really be a worry.

After a couple minutes, she noticed the scent again, but it was closer. _As long as he stays away, it won't matter. Just don't come any closer._

Her eyebrows scrunched together as she tried to ignore the scent. It continued to grow closer as time passed, yet it stayed just far enough away to annoy her. Letting out a huff of aggravation, she stood up to find the culprit.

She rolled her eyes when she found the source. Hiei was lounging in a tree with a single leg hanging freely. His eyes were closed as if he was sleeping and his breathing was deep and even. Sayomi glared at the attempt to dupe her.

She cleared her throat a couple of times with no results. She sighed and melded with the shadows of the trees before solidifying just in front of him on the branch. She was crouched on the balls of her feet as she glared down at the demon and cleared her throat again.

Hiei's eyes snapped open in mild surprise then quickly shifted to displeasure. "What?"

"Don't pretend you've been asleep all this time." Sayomi glared at him with her arms crossed over her chest. "You've been making your way towards me and didn't consider taking a different path?"

"I go where I please." He shut his eyes again, relaxing against the tree trunk.

Sayomi continued to glare at him until he opened his eyes with a scowl. "What?"

Sayomi sighed and turned away, muttering under her breath.

"What was that, woman?" He growled, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

Sayomi turned to face Hiei eye-to-eye and spoke up. "I was wondering if you could train me to fight."

"No." Hiei slid his eyes closed again, ending the debate.

"Look, I know I haven't been the most trusting, but I think you're the only one who can really help me." Sayomi settled more comfortably on the branch and looked down at the ground below.

"Why should I?"

Sayomi looked up at him briefly then averted her eyes. "Well, I can't really pay you or anything, but maybe we could work out some kind of deal."

"I'm listening." Hiei sat up straighter against the tree as he focused on her.

She bit her lip nervously as she tried to think of a fair exchange. _Crap, what would be a good trade? What could I offer him that would be worth his time?_

Hiei waited patiently as she tried grasping at possible offers. _I suppose I could barter with keeping his secret safe. Would that be too much or would that really be the only way to get his agreement? Dammit, I can't use his sister against him. I'm not that manipulative, but I don't know what else to do!_

She thought for a few more moments before deciding on a proposal that might peak his interest. "How about this? I can't offer you anything at the moment, but I can probably do something for you in the future. A trade of favors. Does that sound fair to you?"

Hiei stared at her for a moment, weighing his options. "I doubt there's anything you could do that would benefit me."

Sayomi growled and she could feel her control slipping. _He's really testing my patience…_ "Maybe not now, but you never know what could happen. Besides, if you train me, then I might just be strong enough for whatever you might need. I only ask that Yusuke is guaranteed to stay unharmed."

"Adding to the deal only tilts things more in your own favor. I still don't see how it would benefit _me_."

Sayomi glared at him, her tolerance for his ego wearing thin. She slipped her cloak over her shoulder and moved her shirt enough so he could see the black markings creeping out from under the fabric.

His eyes narrowed as he stared at the markings and noted her black fingernails. "What is that?"

"It's my secret. I haven't even told Yusuke about it. If I don't get stronger, then I might not be around much longer." Sayomi covered herself back up as she explained. "As you know, I'm a shadow demon. I was forbidden to use my powers for offense because shadow demons are known to fade into the Void if we become overwhelmed. Because of this, not many of us are left. According to the rumors, only the strongest can avoid fading away. If I don't get stronger, I might not live for much longer."

Hiei listened until she finished before asking, "Then why don't you stick to healing instead of pursuing combat?"

"I don't want to live in fear of my own power. I want to use it to my advantage rather than live a life of fear. Besides, how else can I expect to survive if I can't even use my power to defend myself? I don't want to rely on others for protection."

"Why haven't you told this to the detective?"

"Because then he might keep me from fighting altogether and that's not what I need. So, if you'll keep my secret from Yusuke, I'll keep your secret from Yukina." Hiei glared at her but she stood her ground. "I may not agree with it, but if you train me I won't tell her. I'll also owe you one favor in the future if the need arises."

Hiei continued to glare at her but she just stared him in the eye. Eventually he said, "Fine. We'll start tomorrow."

Sayomi lowered her head into a bow. "Thank you, Hiei."

When Hiei grunted and shut his eyes again, Sayomi jumped down from the tree and landed in a crouch. She made her way through the trees until she found herself with the local humans again. In a better mood than before, she made her way to Yusuke's school to wait.

Sayomi woke up a few hours later when she heard the bell that signaled the end of the day. She stretched and looked over the roof's edge to search for Yusuke. It wasn't hard to spot his green uniform among all the blue. He was already halfway to the school's gate.

She smirked to herself as she vaulted over the ledge of the roof and, as she fell, reached out to touch the wall on her way down. The shadows on the wall of the building began to engulf her and she melded in with the shade. She solidified at the base of a nearby tree and casually strolled towards the gate.

" _You!_ But – you _died!_ "

Sayomi jogged up to the gate wall and stayed out of sight. _So long as Yusuke doesn't know I'm here, I could probably keep under the radar and we can double-team him. But if someone's supposed to be dead, does that mean a former enemy?_

"Come with me. We need to talk." The voice was low and composed, in control of himself and the situation.

Sayomi did her best to keep her breathing calm and steady. If she lost control of her breathing, not only would she give herself away, but she would also wear herself out faster if the situation became too dangerous. She also did her best to just keep track of Yusuke's green uniform just within her sight range. She didn't want to be obvious about her pursuit.

She began to become more on edge the further they went away from the crowd. The stranger leading them was tall and wearing a large olive green coat. Sayomi couldn't see many other details from her distance behind them, but Yusuke's stiff body language was enough to let her know just how dangerous this guy really was.

By nightfall, they had entered a construction site that was blocked off to pedestrians. The site was empty of any other humans, working or otherwise. Once inside, they traveled up a few stories before settling for their confrontation.

Sayomi kept herself hidden several feet away from them and covered herself with the shadows that engulfed the property. She didn't need to focus too much on her hearing since their voices echoed throughout the space.

"Our first encounter… was _not_ on the up-and-up. Thankfully, that is over and done with." The stranger's voice hinted at relief. "Now, I'd like to discuss something _personal_ … a secret between two men, you might say."

"You got a point? Get _to_ it!" Sayomi could hear the annoyance in Yusuke's voice but there was something else just beneath the surface.

"Heh…" The stranger chuckled to himself humorlessly. "You _scared_ of me?"

"Hah!" Yusuke exclaimed loudly. " _Don't kid yourself!_ "

"Tough guy, huh? Well…" Sayomi could hear the amusement in the stranger's voice. She clenched her fists to hold herself back. "…Your _instincts_ know otherwise."

Sayomi's fists slackened when she felt a power shift in the air. It started off subtle enough, but then it began to fluctuate as the weight of it increased. Feeling well-hidden by her dark aura, she peeked around the corner she was hiding behind and she gasped quietly. He had removed his coat and she was able to recognize him in his sunglasses. _He's the one Yusuke and Kuwabara fought to save Yukina!_

"If you could learn one thing, learn to recognize danger. You are strong and you'll get stronger. That's why I thought I'd show you…" The stranger began to flex his muscles and his aura instantly doubled. "…The real me!

" _Haaaah!_ " The stranger shouted as his aura erupted from his body and his muscles instantly grew. "It's all about muscle mass. In our first fight, I was probably at 20%."

Sayomi couldn't see Yusuke's face from her vantage point, but she could imagine his shock based on her own reaction. _He's probably the one responsible for that gory cell in Tarukane's basement._

" _Phew…_ " The stranger was no longer lean. His upper body had probably tripled in size and his legs strained against the fabric of his jeans. His whole body seemed as if he was overloaded with steroids. Sayomi felt an involuntary shiver run through her body as his aura seeped back into his body. "I'm now up to about _60%_. I could _level_ this building in _three minutes!_ Wanna see?"

Sayomi and Yusuke could only watch as the stranger began dashing in all directions, kicking and punching down the beams and pillars holding the building up. Sayomi could only dodge the rubble in her shadow form to keep from getting crushed. The stranger was able to keep any of the debris from landing on Yusuke to Sayomi's relief.

When he disappeared from view, Sayomi and Yusuke were taken aback by his speed. _How could someone so_ big _move so_ fast?! She couldn't wrap her mind around how Yusuke and Kuwabara survived a fight against such an opponent.

Sayomi and Yusuke flinched when he reappeared just behind Yusuke. His back was towards Sayomi but she didn't need him to face her to hear him.

"In two months, a _tournament_ will be held. Wealthy humans who get their power from the Dark World sponsor teams of five demons – the strongest and most skilled. The humans do it for the money and thrills… we _demons_ do it for blood and pleasure. I extend to you and Kuwabara an invitation to compete. Refuse, and I will _kill you_ right now. Get in _shape._ Your lives depend on it as you will be _fighting to the death!_ "

Sayomi clenched her fists at the threat but kept herself in place. _If Yusuke can't beat him, I wouldn't stand a chance in Hell…_ She glared down at her fist and held back a growl. _Now I_ really _need to get stronger._

When she looked back up, the stranger was gone and Yusuke had fallen to his hands and knees. She scanned the area one more time before running out to him. She released her aura and kneeled beside him, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. _He's trembling…_ "Yusuke? Talk to me. Who was he? I thought you and Kuwabara beat him already."

"Toguro…" Yusuke whispered quietly, unable to focus on anything. "This is not good…."

Sayomi scowled at the name. _It sounds familiar, but I can't remember where I heard it before. Dammit, why am I so bad with names?_ "Let's go, Yusuke. Master Genkai might be able to help."

"Genkai…" Yusuke murmured and his shakes began to die down. "I need to get stronger." He pulled himself to his feet with Sayomi's help and they made their way out of the damaged construction site.

Sayomi bit her lip as they lapsed into silence. She gave him his distance but made sure she was near enough to catch him if he stumbled. _I'm sorry, Yusuke. I know I'm not much help now, but you'll see. I won't be dead weight next time. You'll be safe with the Master. I won't be able to come with you, but just you wait. I'll be stronger the next time you see me._

 _The next day…_

Sayomi had left with Yusuke to the train station, but she didn't get on the train. Yusuke was sticking his head out the window as he spoke to her. "Are you sure you don't want to come suffer along with me? Maybe we'll get to spar a bit for once."

Sayomi smiled up at him and kept her hands in her pockets. "Nah, I didn't realize what I had signed up for the first time. Besides, I already have something set up here so I might as well follow it through. Compared to Master Genkai, how hard could it be?"

Yusuke raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "With who? Kurama? I doubt Kuwabara could teach you much of anything except how to take a punch."

"Ha ha ha! That's not completely true." Sayomi grinned up at the boy. "Besides, it wouldn't be any fun if I told you who I was training with. That just makes our next encounter that much more fun!"

"If you say so." The train whistle blew and the locomotive began to move from the station. "Well, I guess that's my signal. Time for two months in Hell. Do me a favor and tell Keiko where I'm at."

"I'm not doing anything of the sort. It wasn't me who promised her." She smiled and waved as the train carried Yusuke down the tracks.

"Shut up, Sai!" Yusuke playfully glared at her as he waved farewell.

Once he was out of sight, Sayomi sighed and turned around. She nearly yelled when she saw Hiei standing right behind her with his hands in his pockets, as if he had been there the whole time. She glared and clenched her fists, keeping herself from lashing out at him. "Where the hell did you come from?!"

"Your perception needs work. Let's go. We've already wasted too much time." He turned to depart, leaving Sayomi to follow after him with a scowl.

She followed him down the tracks in the opposite direction of Yusuke and Genkai's temple. Eventually they made their way into the mountains. Sayomi looked out over the horizon occasionally to memorize her location and keep track of where the city was. _Knowing him, he'll probably disappear occasionally to do his own training. It would also be useful if I'm expected to leave on my own as well. The monks did it all the time, so it's nothing new. Old rules, new face._

They eventually stopped a little higher than half way up the mountain. There was plenty of shade and enough room to not feel too restricted. She could smell water close by, but it was still a good distance away. The sounds of scurrying critters intrigued her but she ignored the temptation to investigate.

"This will do." Hiei turned to face Sayomi who stood casually with her hands in her pockets. "Get comfortable. We'll begin with an hour of meditation."

"That's it?" Sayomi raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "What about after?"

"That depends on how the meditation goes. I will be monitoring you periodically to gauge your progress."

Sayomi glared at him and crossed her arms. She face him straight on without averting her gaze. "I thought I asked you not to."

"You asked me not to do it of my own volition. Hence, I informed you." When her glare began to slip in confusion, Hiei elaborated. "I won't be staying for long. I will only check in every three days or so. If that doesn't satisfy you then too bad. This is what you signed up for when you asked to train with _me_."

Sayomi sighed and took a few deep breaths. She took a seat where she stood and let her body relax. She took in the scent of the forest and the nearby water. She felt the breeze in the trees and listened to the sounds of various wildlife. _Here in the mountains, it almost feels like I'm back in the Demon Plane._

She let her thoughts flow freely until she was left in the familiar darkness that was her mind. Sayomi's Shade was smirking at her, mirroring her seated position. Sayomi kept her expression neutral.

" _How goes it, host? Not clinging to big brother Yusuke anymore?_ "

Sayomi felt a spike within her core, but only smiled at her reflection. "He's better off training with Master Genkai. She's the only teacher he has any real respect for. At least, below the surface."

" _Looks like you're not missing him_ too _much. Is it because of the thief? You sure switch hosts pretty quickly, don't you?_ "

"It's not like that at all. Yusuke is my friend. If he's expected to win the Dark Tournament, then Genkai is the only one who can get him ready."

" _I wasn't talking about Yusuke anymore…_ " Her Shade began to chuckle quietly to herself at Sayomi's confusion. " _I was referring to Hiei. Why didn't you go with big brother Yusuke to train with the Master this time?_ "

"It's true Master Genkai is a great teacher, but she's still human. There are some things only demons can teach other demons. Besides, Yusuke doesn't need me around to distract him."

" _But that's not the only reason, is it? You specifically asked Hiei to train you before even attempting to ask anyone else. Do you pity him? Fear him?_ "

Sayomi took a deep breath to keep herself calm. She needed to maintain control before she could move forward. "I noticed that he has good control of himself. I want to learn from him so I can keep myself from fading."

Her Shade frowned, losing all sense of taunting and gaining an insecure uncertainty. " _You told him…?_ "

Sayomi became alert to the shift in her darker emotions. It was like fear, but she couldn't put a proper name to it. "I didn't have much choice. His time isn't cheap, it seems and I had nothing else to barter with besides secrecy."

" _And a favor…_ " Her Shade began to hug herself as if she was cold. " _Seems like the dying King left an impression. What if it's something you'll regret?_ "

"I already told him that Yusuke was to come to no harm."

" _Is Yusuke the only new friend you made?_ "

Sayomi paused to think the question over. _Now that I think about it, I suppose I have made a few more friends…_ The images of Kuwabara, Kurama, Keiko, and Botan flashed through her mind.

" _Why didn't you ask the red-head to train you?_ "

"Kurama is a dedicated scholar so he will still be attending his classes. Hiei was the only one with the most available schedule."

" _You can't stop it. It's gonna happen anyways._ " Her Shade rested her head on her raised knees, staring straight through Sayomi. " _You just haven't noticed yet._ "

Sayomi kept her voice calm but her sarcasm still managed to slip through. "It's kinda hard _not_ to notice the mark. It spreads more as time passes."

" _Still haven't noticed…_ " Her Shade began to fade out of sight until Sayomi was left alone in the abyss.

When Sayomi opened her eyes, she froze at the sight of Hiei sitting across from her. He simply sat with his legs crossed and his hands resting in his lap. His eyes remained closed but what caught her attention was just above his eyes. His white headband was missing and a third eye with a violet iris stared straight at her. She was able to tear her gaze away from the Evil Eye, but then gasped quietly when she saw his blood-red eyes watching her.

"That was pitiful," he said dryly. "What was it?"

Sayomi narrowed her eyes at him, annoyed with his tone. _Damn. I forgot he was watching me._ "It's me. At least, it's the part of me I would rather not reveal to others. And that's the best I can get right now apparently."

"It was toying with you. It knew how to make you react react and it played you like a lute." He stood and pulled the white cloth from his cloak pocket, covering his Evil Eye again. "Get up. Now we move on to the next lesson."

Sayomi got to her feet and began to stretch. Meditating always left her body feeling sluggish and heavy. "Alright, what's on the agenda?"

Hiei removed his cloak and tossed it to the side. He stood in his black boots and sweatpants along with a black shirt with missing sleeves. His sword was tied at his waste and carried behind his back. He got into his fighting stance, gripped his sword's sheath and hilt, and waited for Sayomi to get the idea.

She kept her face blank as she untied her own cloak and discarded it. She reached behind her back for her _kusarigama_. Sayomi tossed the weapon from hand to hand, warming up for the match. _Crap, if he uses his speed then I'm screwed unless I use my aura._

Hiei ran straight toward her, drawing his sword with a well-practiced motion. Sayomi braced herself and blocked his strike, forcing the blade to follow the curve of her sickle. Hiei followed the motion, side-stepping behind her to strike again. Sayomi crouched and swiped around to attack his legs.

Their movements continued to flow and Sayomi was beginning to wear down. _Is it just me, or is he getting faster? And he's not even breathing heavy!_

Hiei gradually picked up speed, making his movements harder to predict. Once he disappeared from Sayomi's view, he struck her from behind with the hilt of his _katana._ She went down and spat out the dirt that got in her mouth.

"Why didn't you use your aura? You would've been able to dodge it at the very least."

Once she had cleaned her mouth of any soil, Sayomi turned to Hiei with a glare. "If I overuse it, then I'll be consumed."

"By what?"

"I'm not too sure on the details myself. All I know is that shadow demons fade into the void when they are overwhelmed by their own power." Sayomi got to her feet and unscrewed the base to release the chain. "Therefore, I need to stay in control at all times."

"Excuses. You're not even in control now and it scares you." Before Sayomi could protest, Hiei cut her off. "Use your aura and don't release it until I say otherwise."

Sayomi growled and used the shade from the forest to fuel her aura. She attacked him head-on at full speed, but he still managed to block and parry each of her attacks. As the fight dragged on, Sayomi struggled to hold on to her aura. When she lost it, Hiei pinned her to the ground with his sword at her throat. She was breathing heavily while he was as calm as ever.

"I didn't grant you permission to release it." He glared down at her.

"I didn't really have… much say in the matter…" She defended, breathless until she had regained control. "There's only so much I can handle before I lose it."

"Hn. You will do this every day until you can hold it indefinitely."

"We're gonna need more than two months." Sayomi sighed and brushed the dirt off her face. "Is that all for the day?"

"Again. This time, keep your aura up." He dashed towards her, forcing her to call on her aura again. He pressed on, forcing her to defend. "If you can't find any openings to attack then create one."

He slashed at her repeatedly and she continued to block and dodge. Sayomi glared at him the whole time, annoyed with him already. _Dammit, if I lose control, it'll be the death of both of us._

She used her chain to wrap around one of his legs and she pulled. He fell to his knee but immediately raised his sword to block her attack. He smirked at her frustration. "That's better, but still too obvious."

"I think that's the closest thing to a compliment I've gotten out of you all day." She used the shade from the forest to shoot chains from every direction. They latched on and wove around Hiei's limbs and torso, keeping him in place. "Too bad you were too quick to judge."

Hiei smirked and Sayomi braced herself for what was coming. He chuckled quietly to himself before meeting her eyes. They screamed predator and she was going to be his prey. _Well crap._

Hiei's body temperature rose until the shadow chains binding him glowed red. Then his fists became engulfed in fire. The light from the flames was enough to keep the shadows at bay, giving him the advantage.

Sayomi growled and used her chain to keep a barrier between them. She kept her distance, but then he moved. She tried to find him before he could attack, but she wasn't able to get a clear lock on him. He was dashing through the trees, keeping himself out of sight and range.

"You left yourself open."

Sayomi froze when she heard his low voice so close behind her. She could feel his body temperature radiating with intense heat. She glared and swung back with her elbow. She gasped when she hit nothing but air. _Dammit, where did he go?!_

She felt her legs slip under her and she realized too late that he had ducked when she attacked. She landed on her back and he pinned her with his knee, his burning fist held ready to punch.

She struggled to push him off but he only applied more pressure. The heat was making her sweat and she started to lose her grip on the shadows. Her aura dissipated until she was left in her normal body.

Sayomi tapped Hiei's leg that kept her pinned, acknowledging her loss. He released the fire from his hands and relinquished his weight from her chest. She stayed on her back and took in big gulps of air. She closed her eyes and welcomed the cool breeze that blew through the trees. It was a relief compared to the heat Hiei was giving off.

"You will stay in the area and survive on your own for two months." Sayomi's eyes snapped open and she sat up to look at him in shock. Without acknowledging her reaction, Hiei continued. "I will spar with you and occasionally observe your meditations. I have my own training to do and I don't need you slowing me down. The demons in the area should provide enough practice in my absence."

Sayomi regained her composure and got to her feet, brushing the dirt from her back. "How will you even know I'm training if you're gone?"

Hiei had retrieved his dropped sword and was walking to his cloak. "That question is not even worthy of an answer." He pulled the fabric over his head and turned to her with a bored expression.

Sayomi mentally slapped herself when she saw the dim glow beneath his headband. _How do I keep forgetting about that?_ "Fine. Just don't completely ditch me up here, alright? What do I do while you're MIA?"

"Survive. Meditate every morning and night. Use your aura and just make sure you're still breathing when I get back." Without any further delay, Hiei vanished from sight.

Sayomi huffed to herself and sat back down on the forest floor to meditate and regain her composure. The sun was already beginning to set. _I'll show him._ She let her aura creep over her body and linger just above her skin. _I'll show him not to underestimate me._


	15. Chapter 15

The Dark Tournament! For unbridled clashes of evil, nothing matches this contest, held by mortals made wealthy and powerful through the forces of darkness! In it, selected five-member teams battle to the death! Though demons are the typical combatants, humans who have stuck their noses too far into Underworld affairs are often forced to join "guest" teams. Refusing to compete means death. The only way to survive is to win.

It was just after midnight and the full moon was bright. A cold wind blew in from the shore as the waves crashed into the cliff. Clusters of different demons stood around mystical fox fires that signified the meeting spot. The demons grumbled and chattered about the upcoming event.

"Heh heh… I've looked _forward_ to this."

"Yeah! We can run completely amok."

"We _win_ , we get _whatever_ we want."

"I'll dine on _a thousand humans._ "

"I'm already _drooling_."

"Don't get too excited. You have to beat _us_. And that _ain't_ gonna happen."

"You'll hafta eat those words!"

"Say, I smell _human…_ "

"A pre-tourney _snack,_ perhaps?"

Sayomi stood to the outer ring of the crowd of demons along the edge of the trees. She wore a long-sleeve black shirt, with a hood pulled over her head, and her black cargo pants. Her hands were covered with fingerless black gloves and her ankles were wrapped in bandages. Her feet remained bare. To her right stood Hiei, Kuwabara, and Kurama.

Hiei was wearing a traditional Chinese battle outfit that looked very expensive. It had a royal blue outer layer with a gold trim that draped to his mid-shins. Underneath was a long-sleeved white shirt and his usual black sweatpants. His usual white shawl rested around his neck and a gold sash was tied around his waist. His ankles were also wrapped in bandages and black martial arts shoes covered his feet.

Kurama wore a traditional Chinese style of martial arts clothing. A long-sleeved white top with a gold trim down the middle with matching white pants. The cuffs to both were navy blue and he wore a light purple sash around his waist. He wore navy blue martial arts shoes and Sayomi could catch a glimpse of bandages around his ankles. Kuwabara simply wore his blue school uniform with a duffel bag over his shoulder.

"This isn't starting well. Urameshi's _late_ and we never rounded up a _fifth_ teammate." Kuwabara grumbled with his arms crossed and clenched teeth. Compared to the rest of his group, he seemed stiff and on edge.

"Oh, so am _I_ not qualified enough to be a teammate?" Sayomi glared up at the boy with her arms crossed. "I didn't realize I trained my ass off these past couple months just to warm the bench."

"But girls aren't supposed to fight." Kuwabara averted his eyes from her gaze and chose to search the crowd instead.

"Says who?" Sayomi tried to push, but Hiei stopped her.

"Never mind all that. Are _you_ ready?" Hiei asked Kuwabara, keeping his attention on the other demons.

"Me? You _betcha!_ " Kuwabara smirked down at him. "Kurama's helped me _shape up!_ " He clenched his fist as he glared at the demons. Kurama let out a quiet sigh behind the boy.

Sayomi looked up at Kurama and raised an eyebrow. "You guys trained together? Wish I was there to participate. I was curious about your technique, but I figured you would be busy with school."

"Yes, my education is a major priority in the Human world. We waited until after class." Kurama smiled down at her. "It seems you've gotten stronger as well, Sayomi. If not to fight, surely your healing techniques will be a great asset."

"Right. Healing." Sayomi turned her attention back to the crowd. She scowled at nothing as she took in a few deep breaths. _I hope Yusuke didn't find anyone. I know that's messed up, but I don't want to be on the damn sidelines._

 _You'll have your chance. If not inside the arena, then certainly outside._

Sayomi had gotten more accustomed to Hiei's telepathy over the months. It had annoyed her the first couple weeks, but she eventually decided it was a wasted effort to stop him. At least he only kept to checking her meditations and communicating. _Right. Maybe someone will want to pick a fight with the only non-fighting member. I would just rather have a strong opponent to really test myself._

 _I could give you something to do if you're that bored._ She could just hear the smirk in his voice.

 _We'll see if you're not too beat up yourself. After all, someone might just kick your ass._ She smirked under hood. She found that she liked to push him a little when it came to his pride. He had a superiority complex that she liked to challenge every now and again. It was her way of getting back at him for the telepathy.

 _I can guarantee I won't lose._

" _All aboard,_ everybody. Time to go." Sayomi and the rest of the crowd turned their attention to a short, broad man walking from the edge of the cliff. He had a large bulbous hat and a wild dark beard. His left hand was replaced with a hook and his right foot was a simple wooden stump. He smoked from a corn-cog pipe and an eyepatch covered his left eye. He was dressed in a simple business suit.

"Hold it! One 'guest' isn't _here_ yet!" Kuwabara jerked his thumb towards the woods behind him to emphasize his claim.

"Yeah?" The captain spoke without sympathy or leniency. "Rules say yer late, yer a _refuser._ We'll send _assassins_ to deal with 'im."

"No need for that."

Sayomi and the others turned to the woods and saw Yusuke with a cheesy grin and messy hair. He wore a red jacket with a white undershirt and jeans. A bag of clothes dangled from his hands. To his left, a much shorter person was wearing a white cloth mask to cover their face. The fighter wore a similar outfit to Hiei's except it was red with a gold trim and sash. A single wide gold stripe crossed over the right side of the torso.

"Sorry to hold up the party." Yusuke apologized, lazily.

"Where you _been,_ Urameshi?!" Kuwabara whirled around in shock to see his rival.

"Urameshi…?"

"The one who got Rando and Suzaku…"

"We take _him_ down, we got it _made!_ "

Sayomi narrowed her eyes and glared towards the crowd as they mumbled to each other. _Just try it and see what happens._

Yusuke staggered up to the group and braced himself against a tree. "Whoo! I'm _stiff_ and _sore_ all over!"

Kuwabara grimaced at Yusuke's exhausted appearance. "You _look_ pretty shaky, and I hate to think why."

Sayomi saw Hiei move in her peripheral and turned to see him approach Yusuke. She sighed to herself and smirked, shaking her head. During their training he had often commented about a rematch with Yusuke.

So it didn't surprise her when he drew his sword, immediately slashing towards Yusuke's head. Sensing the attack, Yusuke easily dropped his bag and stepped back to dodge. Hiei assaulted him with a dozen attacks a second while Yusuke dodged each one.

"Wow!"

"What started that?" The demons watched the display with open confusion.

"They're moving so…" Kuwabara was struggling to watch the match with bug eyes. "…So fast I almost can't follow…"

"Phew!" Sayomi turned her attention back to Yusuke and Hiei. Hiei crouched low, with one knee just centimeters above the ground. His sword was caught by three of Yusuke's fingers without any effort. "Nice to see you, too, Hiei."

Hiei smirked and sheathed his sword as he stood up. "I don't know how you _did_ it, but your skills are _almost_ adequate."

Yusuke smirked back at Hiei confidently.

"' _Almost_ adequate'? I couldn't move like that in a _million years!_ " Kuwabara's face grew pale as he broke out in a cold sweat.

"Don't sweat it." Kurama smiled at Kuwabara. "You _did_ follow their moves, which shows _you've_ progressed."

"If that's ' _almost_ adequate,' I would hate to know how you rank _me_ on your power scale." Sayomi scowled at Hiei with her arms crossed.

Hiei ignored her comment and looked over to the mystery fighter. "I suppose short stuff here is our _fifth member?_ "

Sayomi smirked and asked, "You get a chance to call someone short and that's the best you got?"

"Huh?" Kuwabara glanced down at the new member. His eyes almost popped out of his head in shock. "Someone _shorter_ than Hiei?! I can barely _see_ him! If I _sneezed_ I'd blow him _clear to Mars!_ "

Yusuke smiled knowingly and said, "Let's just say for a fifth, we could do worse."

"That so? I dunno…" Kuwabara observed the masked fighter with open skepticism.

Sayomi glared at Yusuke and sighed. "Fine. I'll be the team healer. See if I give a damn if one of you nearly dies."

"Awww, don't be that way, Sai." Yusuke patted her head as he gave her the same grin he used on Keiko when she was angry with him. "It's just that you're too important to the team to risk losing in a fight to the death."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." Sayomi shrugged him off and glared angrily at nothing in particular. _You're lucky you're the one who found him. I'll trust your word, but if anything happens, I'll step up._

"It fills the count," Hiei smirked. "Yusuke and I can take up any slack."

Sayomi shook her head, annoyed with the exclusion from the actual matches. She followed the rest of the demon crowd to the edge of the cliff. A large boat was secured on the waters just below. At the center of the deck was a large, round stone platform. She jumped down to the boat, landed with a roll, and claimed a spot against the rail to wait for her team. Once everyone was on board, a heavy chain was pulled from the ocean floor and the ship began to move.

" _Up anchor!_ Two hours to _Hangman Island…_ "

Sayomi crossed her arms as she watched the crowd. They were spread out in groups, complaining about the lack of luxury.

"Mph… pretty drab old tub."

"No refreshments, no deck chairs…"

"Your attention, please!" Sayomi looked up to see the captain holding a mic. "This is no _pleasure cruise! We'll conduct tournament preliminaries on this ship… starting now!_ "

There was a loud rumble and the platform at the ship's center was being pushed up along with a flight of stairs on each side. It locked into place once it had fully extended.

"That circular deck _rose up!_ "

"Must be an _arena!_ "

The captain wasted no time and explained the rules. "Sixteen teams will compete in the Dark Tournament! _Fifteen_ are waiting on Hangman Island! _One team_ from _this ship_ will fill the 16th slot!"

"No one told us about _this!_ " Kuwabara grumbled angrily.

"Each team will pick its _strongest_ member and _these_ will vie for participation in the tournament!" The captain finished and waited for the fighters to assemble on the arena.

"A little warm-up match? Suits me." Sayomi saw a large demon with gray skin and horns running down the center of his head like a Mohawk. He didn't wear clothing, but he was covered in dark fur from the waist down. "After all, _we're_ gonna win."

Among the demons approaching the stadium was a lean wolf demon. His mane of fur ran between his canine ears and down his back, fangs very prominent in his confident grin. A pig demon with four tusks to each side of his mouth followed after him. His eyes drooped and his head looked like his brain was straining against his cranium. Another warrior looked almost human, but his wild hair and narrow eyes said otherwise. His aura radiated with power, but Sayomi couldn't keep from being amused by his red cape.

"A _battle royale?!_ In those it _ain't always_ the _strongest_ who comes out on _top!_ " Kuwabara gave his best thug intimidation, but Sayomi could smell his nervous sweat. Then he turned to address Yusuke with an uneasy chuckle. "Hey, Urameshi! Here's your _chance_ to show your _new stuff!_

" _Urameshi!_ " Kuwabara and the others jumped around when they noticed Yusuke sitting up against the rail with his legs stretched out in front of him. His hands rested on his stomach as he snored in his sleep.

Kuwabara grabbed him by the front of his shirt and tried to shake the boy awake. "How can you _sleep?!_ Yer _team captain!_ C'mon! _Wake up!_ " Yusuke snoozed on.

"There's no point in shaking him, Kuwabara." Sayomi smirked at the display. "He's a pretty heavy sleeper when he's tired."

"This can happen after extreme training." Kurama informed the group. "He's fallen into deep sleep to restore strength and aura."

"Say _what?!_ " Kuwabara turned to glare at the red-head. "Then _who's_ going up there?!"

Before anyone else could volunteer, the Masked Fighter silently made his way to the ring.

"Guess that's settled. _He's_ going." Hiei tracked the fighter curiously. "At least we'll get to see what he can do."

"What if he _loses?!_ " Kuwabara panicked at the idea. He pointed his thumb over his shoulder and said, "I _don't_ think losing teams just go _home!_ "

"Probably right," Hiei agreed with a smirk. "We might have to kill _everyone_ aboard so there'll be no one left to complain."

"Tuh-rrific." Kuwabara grimaced and took a few steps back from the fire demon.

"Besides," Sayomi spoke up. "I doubt Yusuke would bring anyone less than capable of handling themselves."

Once the Masked Fighter had joined the demons on the platform, the captain yelled into his mic. " _Begin!_ "

The crowd of demons turned to face the short fighter at once, singling him out. "Heh heh… The puny one's first. Kill 'em in turn…"

" _Starting with you!_ "

The demons charged towards the Masked Fighter all at once with enthusiasm. " _Pile on the shrimp!_ "

"I knew it!" Kuwabara exclaimed with panic. "They're _ganging up_ on him! No room to run! He'll be _smashed flat!_ "

The Masked Fighter got into a squatted stance and extended his left hand, palm facing the demons with spread fingers. He pulled his right fist back and it began to charge with aura. Just as the demons were about to reach him, he punched forward with his fist and released a barrage of aura bullets. Every demon was struck by one or two bullets and thrown off the arena, splashing into the ocean.

There was a brief moment of stunned silence before the captain begrudgingly spoke into his mic. "Point, game, and match to _Team Urameshi! They_ will take the 16th slot in the Dark Tournament!"

"That little guy used…" Kuwabara tried to wrap his mind around what he saw. "…Yusuke's _Reigun!_ But…"

Kurama smiled down at the sleeping boy. "I think Yusuke _knew_ this would happen."

"I told you to trust Yusuke's judgement, Kuwabara." Sayomi watched the arena as their teammate made his way back to the group. _I wonder…_

"He _deep-sixed_ every _one_ o' them!" Kuwabara couldn't get over his shock. "Using Urameshi's _Shotgun!_ Who _is_ that guy?!" He ran up to meet the Masked Fighter. "That was _ace!_ Welcome to the team! Just one thing—who _are_ you?!"

Without a word, the Masked Fighter pointed up over Kuwabara's shoulder.

"Huh? What's—" Kuwabara turned around to see a horde of demons ganging up on him from the air. " _Ack!_ "

" _Screw_ the rules!"

" _Kill 'em!_ We'll be _famous!_ "

" _Yikes!_ " Kuwabara jumped out of the just before the demons could hit him. The Masked Fighter jumped up and over the demons just as they smashed through the deck.

" _Raaah!_ "

" _Slice and dice!_ "

Another cluster of demons, led by a sword-wielding demon, launched an assault on Sayomi, Hiei, and Kurama.

"Looks like _we're_ up." Hiei muttered indifferently. "Ah well, it's better than sitting around."

"I'd say so…" Kurama pulled a red rose from his hair with a pleasant smile.

"About time I get to do something fun." Sayomi smirked, grabbing her _kusarigama_ from behind her back.

Hiei took out the demon swordsman, along with his team, with his swift swordplay. Kurama used a whirlwind of razor-sharp petals to kill off the demons in his area. Sayomi used the chain to swing the sickle through the demons that targeted her.

"Heh! _Dead_ to the world!"

"And dead for _real_ in a second!"

Sayomi looked over her shoulder to see two demons making their way to Yusuke. She cut down her opponent to go to him, but then she was blocked by three more. "You guys are just _begging_ for it, aren't you?"

"Aww, cripes! _Urameshi!_ " Kuwabara had noticed them too. "He's so out, Akiko Matsumoto couldn't stir him if she sang _right_ in his _ear!_ "

"That's the least of _your_ problems!" More demons came from his blind spot.

"It's overkill, but…" Kuwabara held out both of his hands as he focused his aura. Then, two spirit swords materialized, one in each hand. " _Double Sword Fencing!_

" _Clear off—_ " Kuwabara began swinging his swords wildly at his opponents. "—Or you're _hamburger!_ "

"No chance!" One of the demons near Yusuke pulled back a clenched fist. "I'm taking his _head_ and _makin' my fortune!_ " He threw his punch, aiming for Yusuke's face. " _Die, Urameshi!_ "

"Dammit!" Sayomi growled as she was surrounded by more enemies.

" _No! I'm too late!_ " Kuwabara yelled helplessly.

There was the sound of a fist hitting flesh and noses breaking. Sayomi looked over to see Yusuke had knocked out both of his assailants with his eyes closed. Then he grumbled as he sleepily opened his eyes halfway and thrashed around. " _Raaah! No way, y'old biddy! I'll keep goin' and goin' and goin'!_ "

"Whew!" Kurama sighed in relief. "Even in _his sleep,_ he _trains!_ The regimen's become _instinctive!_ "

"Old biddy?! So he was training with…" Kuwabara snuck a glance over to his right where the Masked Fighter was kicking demons with his hands behind his back. "…that shrimp-boat of a sensei _Master Genkai?!_ "

Sayomi looked over to the short fighter when she overheard Kuwabara thinking out loud. _I suppose she is the most likely person it could be. She was the only other person he would've had a chance to ask. The scent is a bit off, though._

It didn't take long to remove the rest of the demon thugs from the boat. Sayomi tossed the last body over the boat and made her way to the rest of the team at the front. "Well, that was fun. How much longer till we get there?"

Kuwabara was at the very front with his arms crossed and one leg propped up. Kurama, Hiei, and the Masked Fighter stood behind him. Yusuke was left to sleep on the floor.

"That's gotta be _Hangman Island!_ " Kuwabara declared as he spotted something in the distance. It was an island with two cliffs that almost met in a circle. The one on the right was larger and it curved with an arch that reached for the shorter one on the left. At the base were acres of trees and rock. "Who knows _what horrors_ await us there?! _Brace yerselves, guys! And look sharp!_ "

Sayomi saw Hiei roll his eyes and she laughed quietly to herself. _Don't act too excited, Hiei. Kuwabara might think you enjoy his company._

 _Nonsense._

It didn't take much longer to reach the shore. There was a car waiting for them when they got there and everyone, except Sayomi and Hiei, piled into the car. Hiei simply followed the car while Sayomi used her aura so she could keep up. They followed the car as it drove through the cliffs. At the base where the two were connected, there was a single building that was fully lit. It had to have been at least 20 stories high.

The car dropped off the boys at the front entrance before driving off again. Kuwabara was supporting Yusuke's weight with one arm slung over his shoulders. Hiei joined the group next to Kurama and Sayomi released her aura next to the Masked Fighter.

"Geez…" Kuwabara couldn't keep his eyes from popping out when they walked inside. "Pretty _ritzy joint_. What gives?"

The lobby was brightly lit and filled with formal attire. Wealthy humans occupied the space smoking cigarettes and drinking out of wine glasses. There was a piano playing from somewhere out of sight and Sayomi's stomach growled when she smelled the snacks. When she stepped on the carpet, the rug felt like velvet beneath her feet.

"Welcome, honored guests. Let me show you to your room." Sayomi and the team looked over to see a good-looking man dressed in a classic black tuxedo with bowtie. They followed him reluctantly through the crowd.

"Bonanza weird. _This_ is the Dark Tournament?" Kuwabara glared at his surroundings suspiciously.

"There go the sacrificial lambs…" A feminine voice commented.

"Ah… So young and unsuspecting…" The male sounded older with a subtle accent.

"Not exactly." Sayomi ignored the glares she was receiving from tracking dirt across the floor. "These plebeians aren't even worth the clothes on their backs. I'm sure the real danger will turn up eventually."

They were led up to room 404 and Kuwabara was in awe of the quality. It was an open space room with enough beds for everyone and a large couch that formed a 90 degree angle. There was a single bathroom and a walk-in closet. Floor-to-ceiling windows revealed a great view of the island and the ocean.

"Man, talk about _posh!_ " Kuwabara laid Yusuke and his duffle bag on one of the beds and sat next to the sleeping boy. "This'd be a great _vacation spot!_ "

"You mean without the possibility that we might not survive?" Sayomi teased him with a smile, lowering her hood so it sat on her shoulders like a shawl. She sat in the corner where the two couches met, crossing her legs and hugging the large pillow. Kurama sat to her right with his arms and legs crossed and the Masked Fighter sat to her left in a lotus position. Hiei stood up with his hands in his pockets, half facing the door to watch for any intrusions.

"Lady and gentlemen…" A young male came into the room with a trolley. He placed six cups of coffee, cream, and sugar onto the small coffee table between the couch and Yusuke's bed. Then, he quietly stalked out of the room.

Kuwabara glared at the drinks and gritted his teeth. "This stuff ain't _poisoned,_ is it?"

"Not likely," Kurama said as he sipped his cup. "The tournament's all about maximum combat. So they want every contender at peak potential."

Hiei picked up his own cup and drank from it. "The hosts are especially interested in seeing us in action before we're torn limb from limb…"

"Don't want to disappoint those humans who wasted their money to see your blood." Sayomi sarcastically remarked as she added sugar to her coffee before drinking.

"Well, it never hurts to be _careful._ " Kuwabara reached for his bag and pulled out an aluminum can that read, _Pierre Taki Energy Drink_. "I'll stick to _my own_ beverages, thanks."

"Odd…" Kurama glanced over the rim of his cup with observant eyes. "There's a cup missing."

"Really?" Sayomi and the others looked down at the coffee table.

"Huh? There's six of us, and six cups." Kuwabara sat his can down. "I haven't taken one, so…"

"That's what's odd." Kurama's eyes shifted around the room. "Yusuke's still asleep, but _his_ cup is _gone!_ "

Kuwabara looked up in shock, then there was a slurp from across the room. Everyone stood up and turned to see a kid crouched on the set of drawers behind them, the missing coffee cup in his hand. He looked no older than ten years old. He had large green eyes with three star tattoos under the left eye and a mess of brown hair. He wore a pink and yellow cap sideways on his head. His shirt was a matching pink with long yellow sleeves and he carried a small pouch across his shoulder. His jeans were baggy and his white sneakers looked just slightly worn.

" _Hey!_ " Kuwabara and everyone else looked at the kid, their guards up. " _Who's that?! How'd he get in here?!_ He must've been _hiding_ someplace!" Kuwabara glared at the kid.

"Then came out and took the cup without us noticing…" Kurama reasoned.

"But we were all facing the table. How did he sneak by so easily?" Sayomi could feel her aura stir but she kept it in check.

"Naw, I came through the door, like _you_ did!" The kid clasped his hands behind his head and balanced the cup on the tip of his left foot. He wore a broad grin that Sayomi didn't trust. "Forgot to knock, though."

He removed his hat and placed his hand over his heart, nodding his head a bit. "Allow me to introduce myself – _Rinku_ , Team Special Ops. My crew, the Jolly Devil Six, will be your _opponents_ in the first round tomorrow."

"Jolly Devil _Six?_ Isn't it only _five_ to a team?!" Kuwabara asked nervously.

"You didn't know you could bring a _backup_ in case one of you dies in battle?" Rinku lifted his finger as if speaking to a child. "Looks like there's six of you so it seems you got lucky. The six of us are all tough as nails, so we chose _our_ alternate by paper-rock-scissors."

Rinku placed the cup down on its side and balanced himself on the handle with just two fingers, his legs spread open to balance his weight and he wore an innocent smile that put everyone on edge. "Must be _nice_ being the _guest team_. You don't have to sit through opening ceremonies or rule meetings. 'Course, you also don't need to negotiate for _prizes_ 'cuz you'll be taken out _way early_."

Sayomi could see Kuwabara begin to sweat nervously. _He's getting to him. If he doesn't keep calm, he'll be singled out as the weak-link. Just calm down, Kuwabara._

"It's just a _fact_." Rinku stated with a smirk, his mood changing from playful to serious. "The captain of the previous winning team nominated you guys as guests, but from what I see, I could take y'all _myself_ in an elimination match (where if one member beats another, he keeps going to fight the next person and the next, until he loses. Then they switch to their second member, etc.)."

"That will _do,_ Rinku…"

Everyone turned to see a man leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and a leg crossed over at the ankle. He had spiked blond hair and cool gray eyes. He wore a short-sleeve navy blue shirt that strained against his muscles and white pants with black boots. He stared coldly at Sayomi and the others.

" _Another_ lurker!" Kuwabara clenched his teeth. " _He_ wasn't there before, I'm _sure_ of it!"

Sayomi narrowed her glare at the newcomer. _That's twice now._ I'm _supposed to be the stealthy one around here._

Rinku hopped off the dresser and bounced towards the new intruder. "Sorry, Zeru! Got carried away! This tournament stuff is just so _exciting!_ "

Zeru led the happy-go-lucky boy to the door. He looked over his shoulder and said, "Enjoy your evening, guys. By this time tomorrow… you'll be like those cups."

Everyone looked down to see that one of the cups was cut in half, the contents spilling over the table.

" _Gack!_ " Kuwabara yelled in shock. "When did _that_ happen?!"

The two demons left and Yusuke had slept through the whole confrontation.

"That's three times now." Sayomi growled to herself. "You guys better beat them because if I have to step into the ring, they'll regret it."

"So I suppose that makes you our alternate fighter," Kurama commented. "According to tournament rule, you won't be able to take part in the matches unless one of us dies."

"Then no one better die in the first round." She sat back down and started her breathing exercises.

Hiei was holding up one of the broken halves of the coffee cup. He tilted it as he examined the cut.

Sayomi quirked an eyebrow at his odd behavior. _See something we don't?_

Without looking at her, he answered. _This wasn't cut with a knife._

 _Then what happened?_

Hiei placed the broken piece back on the table and made his way to a bed. _You'll find out soon enough. Go to sleep unless you want to be left behind_.

Sayomi scowled and looked around the room to see everyone else settling in for the night. She sighed and got up to turn off the lights. Then she claimed the last bed and sat with her legs crossed. Unable to sleep, she drifted in a meditation. She was in the Void with her Shade who was mirroring her position.

" _So, you've been reduced to healer and alternate. That must feel humiliating._ "

"Not really. It's not as though I'm forbidden from fighting should the need arise." Sayomi kept her voice neutral and logical.

" _Are you looking forward to the opportunity? You want to experience a real fight instead of just training?_ " The Shade was luring her again. In her training with Hiei, she had learned to recognize the subtle signs.

"No, because that would imply that I want one of my team members to die. I don't wish that on any of them." She smiled and shook her head, not surprised by the attempt.

" _But you do want to fight. Why else would you have trained so hard? You were looking forward to fighting beside your big brother Yusuke._ " The Shade had shifted to sadness. Sad for being excluded from the matches. Sad for trying so hard only to be told she can't because she's not good enough.

Sayomi smiled warmly at her Shade, trying to comfort it. "Anything I can do to help Yusuke is better than not being useful at all. It's true that my aura control has improved my healing as well."

" _But it's still annoying as Hell. What was the point of dealing with that intrusive thief if not to get strong enough? That lying piece of—_ "

"There's no need for that." Sayomi cut off that train of thought before it got out of hand. "The point of the training was to improve my self-control. If I can't fight with Yusuke now, then maybe I can in the next case."

" _What if there_ isn't _a next case? What if that Toguro kills him and everyone else? He's no Rando or Suzaku—he's a monster in his own right._ "

"If anyone can beat him, it's Yusuke. It's in his blood." Sayomi was more certain of it by the day.

" _For our sake, I hope you're right…_ " The Shade faded away, dismissing the meditation.

Sayomi opened her eyes and saw that everyone was already asleep. She got comfortable under the blankets and drifted off to sleep. She was unaware of the eyes that watched her in the dark.


	16. Chapter 16

Fireworks went off into the morning sky. At the center of the island, a large stadium was roaring with shouts and cheers from the spectators in the stands. In the middle of the stadium was a large circular ring, not unlike the one from the ship.

" _Morning, everyone! You ready for some unholy mayhem?!_ " The announcer stood in the middle of the ring with a cordless microphone in one hand and her other hand reaching skyward. She had short brown hair that reached her shoulders, bright green eyes, and whiskers sprouting from her cheeks. Large sandy cat ears poked out from the top of her head and a bushy white-tipped tail swished behind her excitedly. She wore a sleeveless white top with a yellow collar and blue ascot. A thin red ribbon tied around her neck in a bowtie. Her pink shorts reached her mid-thighs and her legs were sheathed in black leggings and red boots. " _Let's welcome our first teams of contenders! I declare the Dark Tournament officially underway!_ "

The shouts from the fans doubled in volume as they yelled and stomped their feet. Some yelled angrily while others were excited and eager.

" _We want hitting, kicking, pokes in the eye!_ "

" _We didn't do any of that for weeks so we could be here!_ "

" _The rules bar those who do bad deeds! So let's see some!_ '

The Jolly Devil Six emerged from one side of the stadium. Rinku had his hands clasped behind his head with a huge smile. "Wow, Check out that _crowd!_ "

Along with Rinku, Zeru walked calmly with his arms crossed, and three other demons followed behind. One of them was imp-like with blue skin and narrow eyes. He wore a green trench coat and black sweatpants with black boots. Another fighter was a dark, muscled man with a tight green shirt, army-green pants, and black boots. The final member of the team had long wavy brown hair with a goatee. His eyes were hidden by round purple sunglasses. He wore a baggy white sweatshirt and baggy pants with a string of large beads around his neck.

"It's the _Jolly Devil Six—_ Scrappy stars of the slums!" The announcer introduced the team enthusiastically.

Sayomi adjusted her grip on Yusuke's right arm while Kuwabara shouldered his left. They walked out into the open along with Hiei, Kurama, and the Masked Fighter as the announcer introduced them to the mob of angry fans.

"The 'guests' have _arrived!_ "

The shouts from the crowd grew louder and increasingly spiteful. Sayomi couldn't cover her ears and the yelling became somewhat overwhelming. She focused on her breathing as she made her way to the ring, ignoring the insults.

"Look! _Urameshi's_ already _fainted!_ "

" _Hiei! Kurama! Human-lovin' bastards!_ "

" _No way you're comin' out alive!_ "

" _Traitors! Hope they chew you up and spit you out!_ "

"Friendly bunch…" Kuwabara grumbled as he walked. "Guess they have to _vent_ on _somebody._ "

Kurama sighed and said, "Calling us traitors? If they weren't such _lowlifes,_ I'd take offense."

"So I _shouldn't_ feel offended for being excluded from the insults?" Sayomi muttered to herself.

" _Teams to the center, please!_ " The announcer waited while both teams made their way to her.

There was a tense moment of silence between the teams. Sayomi observed each of the other fighters, trying to rank them based on how strong they look. _Zeru seems too relaxed. He's gotta be the strongest one here. So then, how does Rinku rank with the rest of the team?_ Meanwhile, the crowd was yelling ideas and insults.

" _Pulp th' scum!_ "

" _Rip 'em apart!_ "

" _Pound 'em to jelly!_ "

Somehow, Yusuke continued to snore through all the ruckus on Sayomi's and Kuwabara's shoulders. Their opponents simply stared while Rinku muttered to himself, "Still asleep."

The announcer began to explain the rules. "The team captains will decide the mode of battle and what constitutes a win. If they're unable to agree, House Rules stipulate each member fight one-on-one. The team with the most victories takes the match."

Zeru smirked and stepped forward.

"The captain…?" Kuwabara clenched his teeth as he looked to his sleeping captain. "Yusuke's still _out._ "

"Then it's _your office,_ Kuwabara," Kurama said with an encouraging smile. Hiei seemed reluctant but he didn't object. Sayomi glared at their opponents and adjusted her grip on Yusuke's arm.

" _Say what? Y'mean me?_ " Kuwabara pointed at himself, an embarrassed smile spreading across his face. He laughed and rubbed the back of his head, leaving Sayomi to support Yusuke by herself. "Shucks, I'm flattered! It means being Urameshi's _second,_ but what the heck?!"

He became serious as he glared and stomped forward. " _I'll_ show 'em leadership!"

"Shee…" Hiei glared at Kuwabara's arrogance.

"Sure, leave Yusuke for me to handle. Not like he's bigger than me or anything." Sayomi grumbled under her breath.

Kuwabara and Zeru met at the center of the ring in front of the announcer. They glared at each other, Zeru with his arms crossed and Kuwabara with his hands in his pockets.

"Not that it matters, but I'm for one-on-one. It prolongs the fun." Zeru spoke coolly and just loud enough to be heard.

"Sounds good to me!" Kuwabara pumped a fist eagerly. "It's a _real man's_ way to fight!"

"It's been decided – five _one-on-one_ battles!" The announcer informed the crowd enthusiastically.

Kuwabara made his way back to help Sayomi with carrying Yusuke to their side of the ring. He grinned and asked, "Wazzat _cool_ or wot?"

Sayomi sighed from the relief of carrying Yusuke's dead weight on her own. "It certainly suited you."

They had made it half way across the ring with the others when a large wave of flames surrounded them. Zeru was watching them calmly, his eyes smoldering.

" _Cripes! His aura's hot as an oven!_ " Kuwabara made sure to keep Yusuke away from the fire. "It's obvious he's trying to _provoke_ Yusuke!"

Sayomi glared at Zeru, shielding Yusuke from harm. _So his skill is fire, huh? I guess this is what Hiei meant…_

Zeru retracted his aura, the wind an instant relief from the intense heat. Kuwabara growled and took Yusuke by the front of his shirt. " _Rise and shine, Urameshi!_ "

Sayomi rolled her eyes and joined her team on their side of the field. _Of course he's not affected. Stubborn boy…_

" _First contenders on the field!_ " The announcer called for the fighters.

"Check ya later, guys!" Rinku hopped up to the ring and strolled forward with his hands clasped behind his head.

" _I'll take this one!_ " Kuwabara volunteered with a smug grin and crossed arms. He had left Yusuke sitting up against the ring.

" _Kuwabara's up! Bleah!_ "

" _Kill him!_ "

Sayomi glared at the crowd then looked at Rinku. He seemed disappointed with his opponent. _Not that I blame him. He's not the best fighter on the team, but he's not_ that _bad._

 _You obviously haven't fought him. I'm certain even_ you _could beat him._ Hiei's tone was unimpressed and he seemed to have low expectations when it came to the human.

 _Only reason he won't even spar with me is because I'm a girl. I'm actually curious about a friendly match with him._ While Kuwabara was only human, Sayomi had grown to respect his perseverance. _If he can fight every day with Yusuke, that must mean something, right?_

 _Perhaps in the streets of Human World, but this is the Dark Tournament. No competitor here will leave him alive._ Hiei watched the other team suspiciously, as if expecting something.

The announcer held up her finger as she explained the rules of the round. "In one-on-one, the rules are – _anything goes!_ A count of _10_ will determine out-of-bounds and knockdowns. _Begin!_ "

Rinku clasped his hands behind his back and bounced on the balls of his feet. "Well, here goes."

Kuwabara smiled smugly and beckoned Rinku with his hand. "Okay, shrimp, _bring it!_ "

"You _got_ it!" Rinku sprang and proceeded to run, jump, and flip all around Kuwabara. He was so fast, he left multiple after-images to confuse his foe. Kuwabara tried to follow as he shook his head from one image to another.

"Rinku displays _amazing agility!_ I, Koto, your commentator, can _barely_ follow him!" Koto watched with shock as she tried to follow the kid's movements.

" _That'll do!_ He can't _see_ me…" Rinku's grin faltered to shock when Kuwabara appeared right in front of him with a fist already pulled back. He landed a solid blow to the top of Rinku's head, knocking his hat off and sending him several feet away.

The Jolly Devil Six looked troubled when they saw the human's adaptability. The rest of the crowd was stunned to murmurs and whispered disbelief.

"Didya see _that?_ "

" _Unreal!_ "

Kuwabara prepared for another punch as he charged Rinku. "The _gloves_ are _off,_ kid!"

" _Urf!_ " Rinku flipped himself over and sprang off on his hand. "Gah!"

Kuwabara kicked him off balance before he could get too far.

" _Why you—_ " Rinku growled and charged Kuwabara who delivered an easy uppercut to the kid's chin.

"Bah! _Never_ seen anything so _pathetic!_ "

"Who sent that _wimpy runt_ anyway?!"

The crowd was becoming angrier with every hit Rinku took. They couldn't stand that the human was able to get hits in so easily. Sayomi found herself smiling at the crowd's reaction, but she couldn't shake a feeling she was getting. _Why does this look so easy…?_

"Kuwabara can be surprising," Kurama commented. "I've sparred with him, and I can tell you he _loves_ to fight."

"Great, but what's with all the samurai posturing?" Hiei glared at the fool for taking so long. "He should've _finished_ this with his _aura sword_ by now."

"I think he's underestimating his opponent because of his appearance." Sayomi watched with her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "The brat snuck up on us so easily last night that this _can't_ be the extent of his skills. If he won't fight against women, then I can imagine his feelings about children."

Kuwabara landed a powerful punch to Rinku's stomach, stealing his breath. Rinku curled in on his injury, trying to recover.

"He's _got_ him!" Kurama cheered eagerly. "This is _it!_ "

Kuwabara dashed forward with a raised fist. " _I ain't into torture, so I'll make it quick! You're goin' down for the count, kid!_ "

Just before his punch landed, Rinku sprinted from view. Kuwabara gasped as his mind tried to process the turn of events.

"Heh… Hope you enjoyed the _moment…_ " Rinku had appeared right behind Kuwabara, looking as healthy as the beginning of the match.

Kuwabara turned as quickly as he could and made impact with Rinku's kick. The combined force from opposing directions was strong enough to knock Kuwabara from his feet. Sayomi cringed when she heard the crack in Kuwabara's neck. Kurama gasped in shock at the swift attack.

" _1!_ " Koto started to count.

"…'Cause the moment's _over!_ Ha ha ha!" Rinku laughed with his hands behind his head.

" _2!_ "

"I coulda _popped_ him right off, but where's the _fun_ in that?" Rinku lowered his arms and called out to Koto. " _Don't bother counting. He's dead. I snapped his neck._ "

Sayomi clenched her fists under her folded arms. _There's no way Kuwabara would go down that easily. Don't let him win. Get up, Kuwabara…_

"Super _awesome,_ li'l dude!"

"Might fine, that!"

Rinku grinned and waved both arms to the crowd, enjoying the praise. He froze when he heard a voice behind him.

"So you say… you _broke my neck?_ " Kuwabara slowly made his way back to his feet, popping his neck back into place. He was bleeding from his left temple, the blood spilling over his eye. " _Then I'll have to return the favor… in spades!_ "

"He _beat_ the count! The battle will _resume!_ " Koto announced to the stands.

Rinku slipped his hands into his pockets and smirked over his shoulder at Kuwabara.

" _Tough sonuvagun—_ still _standing_ after that kick!"

" _Finish it, runt! Kill him!_ "

Sayomi smirked and relaxed her fists. She let out a small sigh of relief and shook her head. "I knew he was too stubborn to stay down."

Koto took in the energy of the crowd, using it to pump up her own excitement. "Rinku uses _psychological tactics_ to catch the other off-guard, and Kuwabara takes it in _stride!_ It's only the _first match_ of the tournament, but the _tension_ is already _palpable!_ "

Kuwabara smirked, ignoring the blood in his eye. "Gotta say, he outwitted me, but that kick to my head didn't do me in… so he ain't much to _worry_ about."

"Now I get why you were invited as 'guests.' You withstood my direct attack, so I'll bring out my…" Rinku smiled and reached for his pouch. He rummaged around for the contents and presented a yo-yo with a star in the center. "…Demonic tricks.

" _Devil Yo-Yos!_ " He held up both hands with a yo-yo between each of his fingers, four in each hand.

" _Serious_ playtime, eh?" Kuwabara held up his hands and summoned both of his aura swords, holding them up in a cross guard. " _Batter up, pal!_ "

Rinku sprang to the air and released a handful of yo-yos straight for Kuwabara. " _Shot!_ "

"Hmph! Simple!" Kuwabara braced himself and prepared to swing. "I'll just _split 'em_ …"

He hesitated when he saw the yo-yos maneuver this way and that. He couldn't predict their movements and he was struck with all four toys. One hit him in the cheek while the other three hit him in his torso. The blows were strong enough to knock him down again.

"What a _stylish move!_ " Koto complimented the technique. "Rinku's yo-yos _faked out_ Kuwabara's butt _good!_ "

Rinku landed and began to casually play with his yo-yos, letting them eat into the stadium floor. "Hey, moron, didya think I was just gonna play around? My aura goes right from my fingers to the yo-yos, each of which I control _individually. Like so!_ " He spread out both hands, letting each yo-yo travel in a different direction like snakes.

"Oh boy…!" Kuwabara got back to his feet and hesitated at the sight of the kid's abilities.

Rinku retracted his yo-yos and prepared to release them again. "Your dull ol' aura swords won't even _cut the strings!_ " He released a handful of yo-yos down towards the ground while the other handful launched up in the air.

" _Yoicks! They're slicin' up the ground as they go!_ " At the last second, Kuwabara jumped out of the way. However, the yo-yos changed direction to follow him and get him from his back and his stomach.

"Rinku's powers work best through weapons. He may be small, but his yo-yos kick butt." Zeru spoke proudly of the young lad.

"They _go_ wherever he _wills!_ " Kurama observed, impressed with the boy's skills.

"Which makes it a bad day for Kuwabara!" Sayomi gritted her teeth, getting anxious for the match to end soon.

While Kuwabara rested on the stadium floor, the yo-yos began to wrap around his ankles and wrists. Kuwabara clenched his teeth when they tightened and began to lift him from the ground. " _What?!_ "

"Those yo-yos have lifted Kuwabara's _body_ into the _air!_ " Koto announced to the viewers.

" _Round the World!_ " Rinku yelled excitedly.

" _Whoa!_ " Kuwabara yelled as he was swung by the strings and slammed into the ground, chin first.

" _Blood! We want blood!_ "

" _Whip 'im 'round again!_ "

Rinku obliged the fan requests and swung Kuwabara into the stadium again and again. Sayomi couldn't help cringing each time she heard his body slam into the ground. _I'm gonna have to take care of him once this is over._

"Can't say much for your coaching, Kurama. Your student's been laid out flat." Hiei commented, unimpressed.

"I admit, we haven't seen much yet." Kurama watched calmly, as if waiting for something.

Sayomi quirked an eyebrow at Kurama's statement and returned her attention to the ring. "I hope whatever he has is enough to get him out of this one."

"Agh… Dratted…" Kuwabara was suspended with his limbs spread open just above the floor. " _Punk!_ I'll _kill_ you…!"

Rinku sighed and said, "You're a _tough one_ to finish off. And this is just the first day. Better wrap this up."

He began to channel more aura into his yo-yo strings, lifting Kuwabara higher and higher until he could barely be heard. Even then, he continued to elevate. "Lemme _down!_ '

"Sure will…" Rinku called up and grinned. "…After a few more feet. How's the view?"

"Kuwabara's _flying high_ but it's a _long way down!_ " Koto spoke into her mic, eager to see the events unfold.

"Lemme _down!_ " Kuwabara yelled.

" _Drop him! Kill him!_ "

" _Yer dead now, human!_ "

Rinku lifted him a couple more feet and held him steady for a moment. " _That_ should do it. You'll go _splat—_ like an _egg!_ " Then, without warning, Rinku retracted all eight of his yo-yos.

" _Raah!_ " Kuwabara screamed as he fell straight down.

" _He's falling! This is the end!_ " Koto sounded on the edge of her seat as she watched.

Sayomi gasped and forced herself to stay put. _Come on, Kuwabara!_

"Not _yet,_ it ain't!" Kuwabara growled spitefully. He extended his hand to the ground and shouted, " _Sword, grow!_ "

An aura sword shot out from his hand and pierced the stadium. Using the sword to absorb his fall, Kuwabara leaned back and bent the weapon. Then he launched himself straight at Rinku with a determined glare.

"He _plunged_ his sword into the ground to _break_ his fall and – _fling him forward!_ " Koto couldn't believe the spontaneous save.

"Yes!" Sayomi cheered and pumped her fist.

Rinku smiled as he crossed his arms over his chest. " _Sweet_ move, guy. You're darn _clever_ in a pinch. But now, your trajectory is sending you _straight at me!_ " Rinku released all of his yo-yos straight at Kuwabara's air-born body. "And that just _begs_ for a _salvo_ of yo-yos right to your _face!_ "

"You forgot! I've got a second sword!" Kuwabara extended a hand and shot out another aura sword.

"So what? A straight sword's _easy_ to dodge—" Rinku lost his composure when he noticed Kuwabara's plan.

Kuwabara's aura sword was weaving through Rinku's yo-yo strings, following them straight to the source. Meanwhile, Rinku's yo-yo's stayed on course and closed in on Kuwabara.

Sayomi felt her mouth hang open in shock by the unexpected move. _Is_ this _what Kurama was waiting for? But then why the hell did he_ wait _so long to_ use _it?!_

" _Rinku! Quick, jump back!_ " Zeru shouted out to his teammate, but neither fighter could avoid the inevitable blows.

Right as the yo-yos struck Kuwabara down in the face and shoulders, his aura sword stabbed straight through Rinku's stomach.

"Uh… Oh…" Rinku gasped in disbelief.

"G-gotcha…!" Kuwabara grunted with finality.

"Damn…" Sayomi couldn't believe her eyes.

The stadium was stunned to silence until Koto made the announcement. " _They knocked each other out cold – and out of bounds!_ "


	17. Chapter 17

" _Both_ contestants are out _of bounds!_ The count begins on each— _now!_ " Koto stood in the middle of the ring, looking back and forth between the unconscious fighters.

"They each took _clean hits!_ This might end in a _draw!_ " Kurama observed, just as shocked as Koto.

" _1! 2!_ " Koto stopped momentarily when she saw a hand reach up and grip the edge of the ring.

" _Unh!_ " Rinku pulled himself over the edge and jumped up to the stadium.

" _3! 4!_ "

" _Yeah! Rinku's back up!_ "

" _The Jolly Devil Six will win this one!_ "

" _5!_ "

Rinku brought his hands up to his stomach and channeled his aura. "Didn't figure I'd have _this_ much trouble. Gotta focus my aura on patching myself up."

" _Uurgh!_ " Kuwabara struggled to get up, his face bleeding from his nose, mouth, and above his eye. He was covered in bruises and still had yo-yo strings hanging from his body. He glared at Rinku, set on continuing the match.

"Yipes!" Rinku reeled, surprised with his opponent's will. "The _human's_ up, too! What's he _made_ of?! Dang!" Rinku raised one hand and focused his aura.

"Huh?!" Kuwabara looked down when he felt movement and saw the detached yo-yos winding around his body. "What?! Dang-blang _yo-yos!_ "

" _8!_ " Koto continued her count. " _9!_ "

Tangled in the strings, Kuwabara fell on his face outside the ring.

" _10!_ "

" _Who cares?! I can still fight!_ " Kuwabara yelled up at the kid in rage. Rinku trembled in place, keeping his distance from the human.

"He's quite the master, that one. Controls his yo-yos without being tied to them." Kurama complimented the boy's skills despite the outcome.

"Hmph… and by the rules, we _lose_." Hiei looked up at the scoreboard to see the updated score.

"At least we didn't lose a _teammate_. Looks like his opponent left him alive, Hiei." Sayomi walked over to Kuwabara to help him get untangled.

"How fortunate." Hiei muttered.

"First round to _The Jolly Devil Six._ " The voice from the stadium speakers sounded bland compared to Koto's energetic commentary.

"Hey you!" As soon as he was free, Kuwabara jumped to his feet and pointed at Rinku. "We'll settle this _later!_ "

"Not _likely,_ dude," Rinku said nervously.

"Calm down, Kuwabara. I can't heal your wounds if you keep _moving!_ " She glared at him until he made his way back to the team. Once settled, she started working on his injuries.

"I'll take the next one," Kurama volunteered.

The imp from the Jolly Devil Six stepped up to the ring and smirked. "Rinku's a sharp but honest fighter. Not me. I prefer the _easy_ way."

" _Next up!_ " Koto beckoned the next fighters to come forward.

"Kurama…" The red-head turned to see Hiei with a serious expression. "…Don't _pull_ any punches out there. They gotta think twice about fighting us again."

"I know." Kurama smirked and turned back to his opponent.

Sayomi raised her eyebrow, curious about the exchange. _Do they mean to kill their opponents? Not that I blame them, but Kurama doesn't exactly strike me as a heartless killer. He may be a thief, but then I don't really know Kurama that well. Has his time in the Human World softened him or is he still the infamous Youko? Then again, he didn't have a problem killing Genbu…_

"Hey…" Kuwabara spoke up, looking down at Hiei with his arms crossed. "Somethin' I've been wonderin'… Where does Kurama _keep_ his Rose Whip?"

"In a simple little rosebud," Hiei answered with a smirk. "In his hands, _any_ plant's a weapon. He can turn a weed along the street into a razor-sharp blade stronger than steel."

"I just hope this guy isn't too tough. After losing the first round, we really can't afford anything less than a win." Sayomi glared at the imp. There was something about him that made her uncomfortable.

"Trust me." Hiei spoke, smirking up at the ring. "This match is already over."

" _Kurama vs. Roto: Begin!_ "

Roto smirked at Kurama. "I hear you live with a _human._ Hard for me to figure. You got a 'family' thing goin' there?"

Kurama kept his expression neutral as he stared at Roto.

Roto crouched and lifted his right hand. His middle finger extended until it was a long, curved blade. Then, he dashed forward. "You'd be _sad_ if this human _died,_ eh?!"

"A weasel with a sickle…" Kurama noted to himself as he dodged.

" _Shah!_ " Roto began to swing his weapon back and forth while Kurama jumped back, staying out of reach. Roto kept swinging until Kurama disappeared from his view, side-stepping from Roto's path.

"Waste of time, this. Kurama's _way_ ahead. As for you, Kuwabara, luck was just against you." Hiei watched the match, bored with what was supposed to be a fight.

"I woulda _taken_ 'im best out of three!" Kuwabara growled as he pointed his thumb at himself.

"Yeah…" Sayomi sighed, shaking her head. "It's a shame that's not an option in these matches. You underestimate your opponents too much, Kuawbara. You should work on that. There's always someone out there who's gonna be better."

"Hey! That's what training is for. If it weren't for that out of bounds crap, I would've won!" He defended himself angrily.

Back in the ring, Kurama had managed to get behind Roto. He raised his arm, preparing to deliver a chop to the back of Roto's head. "You're _adequate_ , but little else. I'll end this quickly."

Roto smirked and spoke under his breath, just loud enough for Kurama to hear. "I own your mother's life… Shuichi Minamino."

Kurama hesitated and jumped back just in time to avoid a lethal injury from Roto's sickle. Instead, he received a fine cut along the curve of his left cheek. The scratch was just deep enough to bleed. Kurama kept his eyes neutral, masking his emotions from the imp.

" _Why'd he slow down?!_ " Kuwabara yelled, confused with the turn of events.

Sayomi stared in disbelief at the red-head's retreat. _He_ had _him. What happened, Kurama?_

"Heh heh… See this?" Roto chuckled and pulled a gadget from his coat pocket. It had a single red button that his thumb hovered over. "My _familiars_ are _stalking_ your mom and they'll _devour_ her if I press this _switch._ Bein' such a _devoted_ 'son,' you wouldn't _like_ that. Heh heh heh…"

Kurama dropped his offensive stance, lowering his arms and facing Roto directly.

"Heh heh heh heh… I see…" Roto retracted his sickle, morphing it back into his finger. Then he delivered a direct punch to Kurama's face with a wide grin. "…You get my drift Kurama, you _human lover_ you!"

While Roto was distracted, Kurama flicked a small object into Roto's face. Confused, Roto stopped to look at the item. "A little _pebble?_ A _modest_ show of defiance?" He glared and pointed at Kurama. "Well, _forget it!_ No more, not even a _pebble's_ worth! Clasp your hands _behind_ you! You're my _punching bag,_ got it? _Got it,_ punk?!"

Kurama did as commanded, but he maintained his cold indifference to Roto's taunts.

"Ooh, scary." Roto's confidence began to waver despite his efforts. "Okay, fight me if you _want_ , but you do and I'll _push_ the button, I guarantee."

"What's _wrong_ with him?! He's leaving himself _completely open!_ " Kuwabara couldn't hear Roto over the crowd so he was unaware of Kurama's predicament.

"Yeah! Roto's _hypnotized_ him!"

" _Torture_ him, Roto! _Tear him up!_ "

Sayomi clenched her fists, angry with the imp's manipulation. _That damn cheater. Why do they have to go up against such cowardly foes?!_

 _Calm yourself before you lose control. Kurama has a plan._

Sayomi slid a glance to Hiei who kept his eyes closed. He seemed to be focused on something else entirely. She noticed the faint glow from beneath his headband.

 _What do you see?_ She couldn't help her curiosity. She hated being left out of the loop.

 _Kurama's humanity is finally catching up with him._ Hiei opened his eyes to watch the match, cutting off communication.

Sayomi frowned and turned back to watch the ring. She crossed her arms and glared at the imp.

Roto was smirking and standing right in front of Kurama, but he began to perspire under the red-head's gaze. "Heh… But you _won't_ fight, will you? You're such a sweet li'l _momma's_ boy. You might sever my left arm with your whip, but the fingers might _flinch_ and… _press!_ Heh heh heh heh… _Right, punk?_ "

"Umph…" Roto delivered a full-powered kick to Kurama's stomach, yet the red-head held his ground and his defiant glare.

"Heh heh… I like it." Roto smiled and began to swing punches at Kurama's face. "This is what I call _fun!_ Heh heh… Beating on a guy who _can't_ fight back! Yeah!"

Sayomi growled low in her throat, her fists clenching under her arms. She could feel her anger growing, causing her aura to react. Then, a hand clasped down on her head and just applied the slightest pressure. She slowly relaxed her muscles and began to take deep, soothing breaths. Once she was calm, the weight lifted and she was left feeling relieved of the tension. She snuck a quick thankful glance at Hiei and turned back to the fight.

"Scum…" Roto had stopped his assault on Kurama, annoyed with his lack of response. He summoned his sickle and brought it up to Kurama's cut cheek. "That _look_ in your eye… I don't like it. Look _scared_ , punk… Got it?"

Roto pierced into Kurama's cheek, slowly dragging the tip upward to cross over the initial scratch. All the while, Kurama stared straight at Roto without a hint of fear.

" _Stop lookin' at me like that!_ " Roto became unnerved and he slashed the rest of the way across his opponent's cheek.

Roto chuckled nervously and held up the device in his hand. " _Now_ I'm in a real _bad_ mood. You'd better do somethin' _about_ it… or else."

Kurama said nothing as he glared at Roto, ignoring the bleeding cuts on his cheek.

Roto lifted one leg and rested his arm on the raised lap. He brandished his weapon with his other hand. "Bow down and lick my shoe. Once it's clean, I'll cut your _head_ off. After that, maybe I _won't_ press the button. That's my offer. Can you _refuse?_ Course not. Your _mommy's_ _life's_ on the line. Heh heh heh…"

"I refuse."

Roto blinked. He stared at Kurama blankly and asked, "Come again?"

"Enough." Kurama unclasped his hands and brushed the dirt from his shoulder. He kept his cold mask in place. " _Push_ the button."

"Heh heh heh… Heh heh heh heh heh… Did I _hear_ right? _Push the button?!_ " Roto laughed and pointed an accusing finger at Kurama. "You hypocrite, you're no different from _us_ after all! This is all it takes for you to go demonic again!"

"Push it." Kurama's eyes challenged the imp, giving nothing away.

"Heh heh heh! Fine, I'll push it!" Roto laughed hysterically at Kurama's heartless request. "We're all bloodthirsty demons here, right?!

" _Huck?!_ " As Roto moved to press the button, his body froze in place. "My hand… C-can't _move_ …!"

"I'll repeat what I've said so often before…" Kurama walked up to the paralyzed imp and snatched the switch from his hand with a calm smile. "…That what seems the easy way out is usually the most _dangerous_. You tried coercion, so I countered it…" Kurama wiped at the blood with his right hand while his left supported his elbow. "…By planting a _deadly vetch_ seed on you. The roots have spread through your body, immobilizing you…"

Roto managed to glance down at his open coat. He spotted a red wound on his chest that seemed to be sprouting a small bud. Realization lit his features when he was able to connect the dots. "That was when—!"

Sayomi watched in awe at Kurama's tactful execution. _He used the pebble as a distraction!_

"When I say a word, the plant will grow at an _explosive_ rate. I _enjoy_ facing lowlifes like you. It allows me to be as _brutal_ as I want."

Sayomi felt a shiver go down her spine when she heard Kurama's tone. She hated to think just how _brutal_ he could be when pushed. _I suppose Hiei wouldn't team up with him otherwise._

" _No!_ " Roto yelled in protest, begging for forgiveness. " _Don't sink to my level! I like nice guys! I do! I was just kid….._ "

"Die." Kurama spoke quietly over his shoulder, his eyes devoid of any remorse.

" _Geeyaagh!_ " Dozens of vines sprouted from Roto's body, killing him instantly. His corpse fell back on the stadium floor, flowers blooming from the blood-soaked stems.

"Ironic that the lowest knave's blood grows the loveliest flowers…" Kurama calmly made his way off the platform with a content smile.

Koto was the first to recover from the beautiful execution. " _Kurama's_ come up with a _win_ for the _Urameshi Team!_ They're now _tied!_ "

Kurama made his way back to his teammates. Sayomi smiled at him, grateful for his victory. "Good job, Kurama. You really had me worried there."

"As expected, the familiars took off once their master expired." Hiei opened his eyes and his Evil Eye's glow faded away from beneath the white cloth.

"So you noticed…" Kurama stepped down from the arena, ignoring the angry yells from the crowd.

"That idiot had _no idea_ who he was dealing with." Hiei slipped his hands into his pockets, smirking in amusement.

"Fine. _Don't_ tell me what happened." Sayomi muttered to herself, glaring at the pair. _Jerks…_

" _Next contestants!_ " Koto announced into her mic.

Sayomi and her teammates turned to see the last person they expected to step up next. Zeru made his way to the center of the arena. His face gave nothing away, but his aura was so heavy it was obvious just how angry he really was.

" _Zeru's_ up! He'll _trash_ the guy!"

"Team Urameshi!" Koto beckoned to the team of fighters. "Your _next contender,_ please!"

"I thought _he_ was the team captain," Kurama said in confusion.

"Meaning those other two are _tougher'n_ him?!" Kuwabara grimaced at the possibility.

"No…" Sayomi turned to see Hiei smirking up at Zeru. "He's definitely the _power-house_ of that crew. Like most teams, they probably drew lots for fight order. I'll take him." Hiei removed his shawl and tossed it back for Sayomi to catch. "I want to get _back_ at him for making fools of us yesterday."

Sayomi glared at Hiei and spoke out to him telepathically, dropping the fabric into one of her pockets. _You better kick his ass. I don't like others sneaking up on me._

Hiei made his way up to the arena, his attention on Zeru. _This won't take long. Just don't blink._

" _Whoever_ opposes Zeru is _toast!_ "

"He's _unbeatable!_ An _aura dynamo!_ "

Hiei ignored the crowd's cheers as he addressed Zeru. "I see you use _flames…_ "

When Zeru expressed the slightest hint of surprise, Hiei smirked and said, "I checked that cup. It looked like it had been sliced up by a blade, but the edges were melted. You lack _refinement._ "

Zeru looked down at Hiei, as if he were a bug. "What's it matter? I don't take criticism from a belly-crawlin', Evil-Eyed _rodent._ "

" _Begin!_ " Koto announced with a sweep of her arm.

Zeru immediately erupted into a firestorm of aura. Koto was pushed back by the flames while Hiei calmly stood his ground. Zeru played with the fire in his hands, showing off his control. "Yer _cinders,_ man…"

"Whoo boy! That's a _killer aura…!_ " Kuwabara raised his arms to shield his face from the worst of the fire.

Sayomi squinted her eyes against the blaze, refusing to give in to the heat. _This looks bad. He's stronger than I thought…_

"Impressed? You _should_ be!" Zeru smirked and gathered fire into both of his hands. His aura continued to flare all over the arena. "A mouse like you could never in his _whole life_ summon _this much_ aura."

"Enough talk. Move." Hiei waited with a bored expression, unaffected by the heat.

Without delay, Zeru disappeared from view and reappeared in front of Hiei, his flaming hand piercing completely through Hiei's stomach. Then, he engulfed Hiei in fire before pulling his hand free and shooting a fireball with a straight punch to his burning body.

"Gulp!" Kuwabara swallowed and gawked at the ring nervously. "That was _quick!_ "

Sayomi stared at Hiei's body as it landed on the stadium floor with a solid thud. The crowd's cheerful screams died to silence as they watched him burn. _There's no way…_

"Heh…" Zeru smirked, satisfied with his victory. "Hardly worth gettin' out of bed for that."

As Zeru turned to leave, he stopped in his tracks when he heard the voice behind him. "You're not bad. Pity I have to kill you. However…"

"Y-you withstood my demonic fire?" Zeru slowly turned around, a cold sweat sliding down the back of his neck. " _That's not possible!_ "

"Heh—you now know _otherwise._ " Hiei was standing in the flames, his wound cauterized by the concentrated heat. His traditional clothing had burned away, leaving him in his sleeveless black shirt and sweatpants. His headband had also perished in the fire, revealing his opened Evil Eye. He smirked, amused by Zeru's fear.

"Rejoice!" Hiei extinguished the flames, using his Evil Eye to release his own aura. "To you goes the honor of being the first in the Human World to fall to the _Blazing Fist of the Overlord!_ "

" _Blazing Fist of the Overlord!_ " Kurama exclaimed in shock. "A martial art _forbidden_ in the _Human World!_ It's meant _only_ for the _Demon Plane!_ "

"What?!" Sayomi reeled at the unforeseen development. She stared up at Hiei, her mouth slack and eyes wide in wonder. _I've never seen him use_ this _in training! Is it what he was working on in the mountains?!_

Hiei held up a hand of black flames that began to snake around his body. "I admit, I haven't completely _tamed_ it! But I _will_ , in very short order!"

"B-black flames…!" Zeru's eyes opened wide in fear, unable to move or look away. "…Summoned from the Demon Plane! _How?!_ "

Hiei smirked and clenched his fist, relishing in the power he wielded. "My right arm should be enough for this. I'm afraid my control is meager…" Hiei began to walk slowly towards Zeru, the demonic flames burning through his shirt and all around him. "See? This is _real_ pyromancy… _True evil_ that your match-play lacks! You _scoffed_ at my Evil Eye… and _that's_ something you'll _regret!_ "

"Wait… You _can't…!_ " Zeru was paralyzed with dread, trying to argue the use of the attack.

" _Mreeow!_ " Koto turned to leave the ring, reporting along the way. "It's going _over the top_ here! Even I, your _commentator,_ have decided to _take cover!_ "

" _Here it comes!_ " Hiei warned Zeru then thrusted out his flaming arm. " _Black Dragon Hell Fire!_ "

Black flames shot out from Hiei's extended arm and morphed into the shape of a large dragon. The beast coiled as it flew straight towards Zeru. The dragon consumed Zeru and plowed into the stadium wall, extinguishing on impact.

Koto waited for the flames to die out before she peeked over the edge of the ring. Hiei stood at the center with his arm stretched forward. The smoke from the fires were still clearing from the ring.

"It was over in a flash." Kurama commented quietly. Kuwabara stood near the red-head nervously.

"I'm glad I didn't blink…" Sayomi muttered under her breath. Her fists were clenched by her side, her body tense from ignoring her instinct to run. She slid a glance to Yusuke, still sleeping against the ring. _Dead to the world alright…_

"Oh my… the _wall…_ " Koto drew everyone's attention to the wall across the ring. There was a black scorch mark in the shape of Zeru. Smoke was still rising from the permanent shadow on the barricade.

"God… Not good." The two remaining fighters of the Jolly Devil Six stared at the mark nervously.

"I _incinerated_ his Human World aspect. Start the count." Hiei glanced at Koto, his arm burned and smoking from the attack.

"Oh!" Koto jumped back in a crouch and stuttered, "I… I think we'll just skip that. Whew!" She stood up straight and raised her hand. "The… _The winner—Hiei!_ "

"See _that,_ ya punks?!" Kuwabara shouted, raising a triumphant fist. "Even _gypped_ in the first round, we're up _2 to 1!_ " His expression became grim when a thought occurred to him. "Not that it's a heckuva lotta _comfort._ What Hiei just did… What he _can_ do… If he decided to _turn_ on us now… Ulp…"

Hiei walked by with his hands in his pockets and stopped in front of Kuwabara. He slid the human a cold glance before smirking and said, "Calm down. Once I _pick_ a side, I _stick_ with it. My Blazing Fist of the Overlord still needs work, anyway."

Sayomi smirked and shook her head. Her muscles relaxed and she unclenched her fists. They were a little slick with sweat and blood, but she just felt relief that he had survived. "I hope you don't make it a habit to play dead. I was about to jump into the ring to beat him myself."

"Heh." Hiei shifted his focus to her as he made his way down from the ring. "If _you_ went up against him, you would've died with his first attack."

"Maybe, maybe not. I guess we'll never know, huh?" She raised an eyebrow and made her way to him. "Now let me see your arm. Looks like you could use my help for once."

Hiei rolled his eyes and ignored her offer, keeping his hands where they were. She glared at him and reached for his arm. He didn't move away but he wouldn't let her move it either. She lightly probed it, her expression grim. She noticed how tense he was when she touched him. _He's in pain._ _It still feels hot, and his skin is scorched. I don't know if I'll be able to heal this, but at least I can ease some of his pain…_

"Zeru, zapped…" The dark-skinned fighter from the Jolly Devil Six was still trying to recover from the attack.

"J-just like that…" His spectacled teammate was just as shaken.

"That's _enough_ for us. We want _out!_ " The muscled fighter declared to Rinku, retreating to the exit.

"We came to _kill for fun…_ an' fun this _ain't!_ " The lean fighter agreed, following his teammate.

Before they could get very far, the two fighters were decapitated. Their bodies fell to the ground as a new fighter jumped into the ring on the balls of his feet. He threw the heads over the side of the ring, hiccupping as he glanced around with a lazy gaze.

He was a tall man with a blue Mohawk and blue eyes. His hair was long in the back and it was tied with red rope that ended with two tails. He had scruffy sideburns that merged with his mustache and matching eyebrows. A single green line bridged across his nose and under his eyes. He wore a sleeveless black top with fur lining the collar. His tight green pants were tucked into metal knee guards and fur leg warmers that covered his shins. At his waist was a thin belt with small vials attached to one side.

"Fun's _best_ when it's spiked wit' _danger._ " He slurred with a strong Australian accent. "These yeller swine-dogs spoiled m' _buzz._ "

" _Chu!_ " Rinku cheered with a broad smile.

Chu turned to Koto and said, "Hey girlie, we got _two_ deaths b' 'accident.' What's the rules say 'bout _that?_ "

Koto trembled as she answered him automatically. "Each team gets one alternate… That's _it._ Circumstances don't matter. Y-you'll have to go on with _whomever_ you have left! And no forfeits allowed!"

Chu walked by, emitting a foul aroma. He scratched his stubble thoughtfully. "Hmm… That's fine. So it's me agains' _their_ last two, huh? Innerestin'…"

"This guy creeps _me_ out _bad!_ " Kuwabara muttered to the group. "His aura's not much, but there's something…"

"Urrf…" Sayomi and the others turned to see Yusuke lifting his head, awake from his slumber. He groggily got to his feet and began to pick his ear with his pinky. "Whoo! Who's been _boozin'?_ That _stench_ would raise the dead and kill 'em all over again!"

Sayomi sighed in relief and couldn't help laughing at him. "Really, Yusuke? After all the chaos, the _alcohol_ is what wakes you up?!"

"Hey, you finally _woke up!_ " Chu exclaimed with his hands on his hips. "All nice an' rested? Y'better _hope_ so!"

Sayomi looked up at Chu suspiciously. _He was too casual about killing his own team. You better watch yourself, Yusuke._

"Sub-captains forwa—" Koto was cut off by Chu's impatience.

" _C'mon! Let's go!_ " He crossed his arms and looked down at the boy. "I wanna win it quick, then get down t' sum _serious drinkin'!_ "

"A man with a plan, eh? Leave 'im to me." Yusuke smirked and began to pop his knuckles. "I could _use_ some light exercise after that nap."

Chu smirked back at Yusuke with a glint in his eye. "'Light'…?"


	18. Chapter 18

" _Urameshi's finally woken up!_ "

" _Yeah! To his worst nightmare!_ "

" _Kill 'im, Chu!_ "

" _Tear 'im limb by limb!_ "

" _Kill! Kill! Kill!..._ "

Yusuke and Chu stared each other down, ignoring the raging crowd's chants. Yusuke smirked with a determined gleam in his eyes. His hair was still down and hanging in his eyes a bit without his usual gel to keep it in place. Chu hiccupped as he watched the boy, amused with his confidence.

"Their _bloodlust_ is truly _awake_ now!" Kuwabara grimaced as the crowd's volume continued to rise with every chant. "And Chu's aura just feels creepier and creepier…"

"It's all bark and no bite. Yusuke doesn't even notice." Hiei watched Yusuke, bored with the spectators. Yusuke just continued to smirk at Chu.

"Yer right. He looks ready." Kuwabara grinned and rubbed his chin. "We're _kickin'_ _butt_ now, it's almost a joke."

Hiei glared at Kuwabara angrily while Kurama seemed to be analyzing the new fighter. Sayomi mimicked the red-head, weary of the stumbling fighter. _He's the alternate? He seems like the kind of person that enjoys that role about as much as I do. The way he killed his teammates just so he could fight said_ that _much about him. And despite his drunk state, he was able to execute clean kills so fluidly. It's actually quite disturbing now that I think about it…_

She glanced at Yusuke. _He looks ready, but how much did he learn in two months? Has he learned some new tricks? Or is he still on the basics? Zeru was so strong that Hiei had to cripple his arm. That makes me worry about his own chances. But then again, he does seem to do his best in a real fight._

"You call this _light_ exercise…" Chu blurred away and he was suddenly standing next to Koto. He held her microphone casually with a hand on his hip and cleared his throat. "Lemme borrow this. Testin', testin'…"

"Mrrow…? How'd he _do_ that…?" Koto gasped in shock at the drunk's swift movements.

Chu pointed to Yusuke and said, "Before the fight… I wanna make… one thing _perfectly clear!_ " He glared and his veins could be seen under his skin. " _I lost at Rock-Paper-Scissors! So don' go thinkin' I'm sum kinda lightweight!_ "

The crowd went silent at the man's words. Koto whipped out a spare mic and took charge. "Ahem! I'll _explain_ that! The Jolly Devil Six decided their fight order and their alternate by Rock-Paper-Scissors…" She extended her arm to acknowledge Chu. "…So Chu's saying he's an alternate by _procedure_ , not by degree of _prowess!_ In fact, he's the _deadliest_ of the Jolly Devil Six!"

" _Darn tootin'!_ " Chu agreed.

"Except he's _drunk_ , as usual." Rinku grimaced.

"Moron." Kuwabara muttered under his breath and Kurama sighed to himself, tapping his temple.

Sayomi's eye twitched a couple times. _Did he seriously give himself away like that…?_

" _Yah yah!_ Okay, I get the picture. Let's _do it!_ " Yusuke grinned excitedly as he swung his jacket off and tossed it aside. He looked like a child who wanted to play with his friends.

"Whoa, bud! Yer not _buyin'_ it!" Chu held up his arm to stop Yusuke's assumption then he jerked his thumb to point at himself. "I ain't trashin' no one whose guard is down! So here's a straight _warnin'_ —I use the _Drunken Fist!_ " He lifted his chin to stare down his nose at Yusuke. "The drunker _I am_ , the stronger I _gits!_ My unsteady moves make my enemiesh think _I ain't all there!_ So _don' be taken in,_ get me?!"

"Guys, maybe Yusuke can handle this guy after all. He's basically telling Yusuke everything." Sayomi suggested optimistically.

"I wouldn't be so certain, Sayomi." Kurama cautioned the girl.

"Right… but hey…" Yusuke grinned as his chuckles died down. Then his expression became serious as he locked eyes with Chu. "…The Drunken Fist ain't no big shakes. You've got something _special_ up your sleeve." When Chu's expression shifted, Yusuke smirked. "Otherwise this fight would hardly be worth the trouble, eh?"

"Yer cool… I like that." Chu smirked lazily at his opponent while he began to sway. "Don' get opponents like you ev'ry day. This could be fun." His swaying motion helped him weave his way around Yusuke.

Sayomi struggled to keep up, but he would leave blurring afterimages that would hurt her eyes. _How does he move like that? I could use that with my shadow aura._

Chu slid to a stop in front of the boy, keeping his calm. Yusuke kept his eyes on the drunk warrior, ignoring the chanting from the crowd.

" _Kill!_ "

" _Kill!_ "

" _Kill! Begin!_ " Koto swept her arm out, starting the match.

Chu immediately started to stumble around Yusuke, leaving blurred images behind him. Yusuke watched him, waiting for the fighter to make a move.

"He doesn't move… he _glides!_ " Kurama observed. "He appears self-taught, but that's no disrespect to his _skill!_ He'll be hard to follow!"

"No kidding, but what about Yusuke? As far as I know, he grew up fighting in the streets, right?" Sayomi thought back to her talk with Yusuke that seemed so long ago now.

Kuwabara nodded. "Yeah, he was already pretty well known before I took my first swing at him. So far, no one hits as hard as him."

Sayomi smirked up at Kuwabara then turned her attention back to the ring. Chu had closed in on Yusuke, coming in with a right chop. Yusuke blocked with his arm, but then Chu came in with a sneak attack. Sayomi gasped when she counted five quick blows to Yusuke's stomach. Yusuke was sent flying across the field, clutching his stomach in pain. Then, Chu glided behind Yusuke and landed a strong chop to his guarded stomach, forcing him down to the stadium floor. Chu was then about to follow through with a downward punch.

"He had _no chance_ to strike back!" Kuwabara yelled. He couldn't believe the gap between Chu and Yusuke.

"Looks like Chu had a good reason for warning Yusuke before the start, huh?" Sayomi clenched her fists, fighting the urge to protect her charge.

"Hmm…?" Chu raised his eyebrows as Yusuke jumped to his feet. The teen instantly threw punch after punch at the stumbling fighter, missing him every time. Chu smirked before disappearing from Yusuke's field of view. He then appeared on Yusuke's blindside, sending him crashing into the stadium wall with a powerful roundhouse kick.

Sayomi and Kuwabara gasped in shock as Yusuke was covered under the rubble and dust.

"Wow! Amazing!" Koto was in awe while Chu stood on one foot with his arms crossed, his kicking foot still dangling in the air leisurely. "A _brilliantly executed combo! Even I'm at a loss for words to describe it!_ Urameshi was caught by _surprise_ and skittered _out of bounds!_ "

Chu's eyes stared ahead at the hole in the wall. "What gives, Urameshi? You wanna check out my _ace_ , don'cha? Ain't gonna happen if you _fold_ on me this quick!"

" _Kill!_ "

" _Kill 'im dead!_ "

"Chu's pivot foot drilled a _hole_ in the _stone floor!_ " Kuwabara noticed uneasily. "That kick hadda be _10,000 times fiercer_ than Rinku's!"

"Oh, right!" Koto frantically remembered her task. "Urameshi's _out of bounds!_ Counting down _now!_ Eh…?"

Everyone's heads turned when they heard a loud crash in the rubble. Yusuke had jumped out from the debris and landed back in the ring. He was balanced on the ball of one foot and rotating his shoulder with a smug grin on his face. "Whew! That kick would've _shattered_ me if I hadn't _blocked_ it!"

"Sweet!" Sayomi grinned. "This match is gonna be a good one!"

"This, I gotta say, is _like a shock to the spine!_ " Yusuke smirked and licked his upper lip. "Bet _you_ feel it, too!"

"Sure do," Chu answered. "Combat junkie, that's me."

" _My count_ only reached _0.5!_ This match is still _on_ , folks!" Koto announced into her mic.

"Man, oh man! He _blocked_ that kick with _one arm!_ " Kuwabara clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. "Yeah! He can _handle_ this guy!"

Yusuke finished stretching his arm then aimed his trigger finger. It began to glow as he charged up for a shot. Chu watched curiously until Yusuke redirected his aim and shot at the stadium ceiling above the crowd, completely missing his opponent.

"This is _my_ specialty— the _Reigun_." Yusuke pulled his hand back and opened his palm. His energy glowed on the tips of his last three fingers. "My limit seems to be four shots a day, so I have just _three_ left, though each will have _more_ aura force than the last."

"Urameshi's shown his _ace_ upfront! This is _sportsmanship_ to a _fault!_ " Koto gawked at the two combatants in complete shock. "We've _never seen the likes_ in the entire _history_ of this _tournament!_ "

" _You idiot!_ " Kuwabara yelled angrily. "D'that long nap _addle your brain?!_ "

"Well, I guess you can't blame him since Chu told him first." Sayomi watched on curiously. It was rare to find such a modest opponent. _Although, they're both still hiding something. Sure, Yusuke can shoot more bullets now, but he could've learned at least one or two new tricks in the last couple months, right?_

" _Ha ha ha ha! Prob'ly did! I like you, man!_ " Chu laughed out loud until he began to wobble a bit. "Uh-oh… Urp…" Then his gaze focused and his tone dropped a couple octaves. "Boozed pretty hard while I was sidelined… Now I'm startin' t' _feel_ it… Yeah… Got _me_ a specialty, too." Chu reached for one of the little vials on his belt and popped it open. "This is _Ogresbane,_ hooch from th' Demon World. Packs a _helluva punch._ " Then he chugged down the drink in one gulp.

" _Clear the decks! He's gonna do it!_ " Rinku yelled out in warning.

No later had the kid finished speaking, when Chu began to visibly tremble. He grunted and his muscles began to strain. Everyone watched, weary about what was going to happen. He calmly took a deep breath, then threw up over the side of the ring.

Sayomi brought her hand up to cover her face, shaking her head in disgust. _At least he did it on their side of the ring._

"I _warned_ ya! Gross, huh?" Rinku was sitting on the grass with a childish grin. "Chu always has to clear the sluices…" He snapped his fingers and left his hand in a gun shape as he happily explained. "…So the full effects of _inebriation_ can set in! Now we'll _see somethin'!_ Y'see, the Drunken Fist ritually summons _Chu's true self_ to the _Human_ World!"

"Oh crap… That doesn't sound very good from _this_ perspective." Sayomi muttered to herself.

"That sour alcohol smell is _fading!_ " Kurama observed Chu's reaction to the drink. "The alcohol's _blending_ with that strange demonic aura!"

"Phew… That's better…" Chu got back to his feet with a satisfied smirk. His skin was a couple shades darker and he began to manipulate his aura with fluid arm motions. "Got me a _rep_ as the _Soused Aura Alchemist!_ Yer ready, so you get the _best_ I got."

" _Bizarre!_ He's _spinning_ his aura like _cotton candy!_ " Koto spoke with curious fascination with his skill. "He's forming it into—I'm not sure, but it can't be _good_ for Urameshi!"

"So, an aura alchemist." Hiei commented with a hint of appraisal in his tone. "Shoulda figured it, the way he was _alloying_ his pliable demonic aura with alcohol!"

Chu continued to weave his aura until he held a large ball of energy, no bigger than a grapefruit.

"That energy ball looks just like a _Reigun effect!_ " Kuwabara compared nervously.

"Very much _like_ one!" Kurama agreed. "And packs as much _power!_ He worked out the _analysis_ in _no time!_ "

Yusuke and Chu ran across the ring at equal speeds. Chu held his power ball in one hand while Yusuke held his trigger finger at the ready.

"Power to power, guy! _Ready?!_ " Chu challenged.

" _And able!_ " Yusuke answered, bringing his gun up to shoot.

" _Hrum!_ " Chu planted his foot into the stadium floor and hurled his energy at Yusuke at full speed.

" _Ha-yah!_ " Yusuke fired a bullet with equal force. The two blasts clashed at the center and tried to push against each other.

"Their _shots!_ Goin' _head to head!_ " Kuwabara watched in admiration.

"Which one will win?!" Sayomi wondered out loud.

The two blasts continued to press for dominance until they both canceled out.

" _Tie!_ " Hiei glared at the outcome.

Once the blasts cleared, Yusuke and Chu were already at the center, ready to attack.

"They _charged_ in behind their shots!" Kuwabara growled.

Then the two fighters began to throw punch after punch after punch directly at the other's openings. Blood and sweat spilled onto the ring as each hit connected with its target.

"No blockin', just punchin'… An all-out _brawl!_ " Kuwabara cringed as he watched the match.

"Each one looking for an opening to fire at the other. At such close range, their shots will be _fatal._ " Hiei watched the match with a barely interested expression.

"No pressure or anything, right?" Sayomi couldn't tear her eyes from the fight. She tried to imagine how she would handle such a conflict. The very thought made a shiver run down her spine. _And they're not even using their aura…_

" _Raah!_ " Chu landed a powerful right hook, sending Yusuke skidding across the ring. He landed off balance, leaning too much to the right on his hand, knee and foot.

"Uh-oh!" Kurama noticed Yusuke's mistake.

" _Raah!_ " Chu had noticed it too. He gathered his aura into a ball over three times larger than his first one.

"He's forming… the _Blockbuster!_ " Rinku shouted in surprise.

"That's a huge amount of explosive aura." Hiei gauged the power in the attack. "He'll _pay_ for that, if the fight drags on."

"Yeah, because Yusuke is _not_ gonna take it without a fight." Sayomi agreed.

" _Eat this!_ " Chu kicked the large ball of aura towards Yusuke, who just stopped skidding on the floor. The blast was closing in on him, forcing Yusuke to meet the blast head-on.

 _Damn! That's a big one! He can't dodge and his shots are nowhere_ near _that size!_ Sayomi clenched her fists and braced herself for a large explosion.

"Cripes! He's _gonna get it!_ " Kuwabara panicked.

Yusuke managed to get to his feet and raise his hand to fire his gun. He fired one shot and immediately followed with another.

" _Rapid fire?!_ " Chu shouted in surprise.

Yusuke's shots pierced through Chu's large blast.

"Oh gosh—they're _both_ gonna get it!" Kuwabara clenched his teeth as he watched both blasts continue their trajectory. "His shots went _through_ Chu's!"

" _Simultaneous hits!_ " Koto shouted excitedly. Both blasts went off on impact and once the dust settled, there was nothing left. "Wow! They've both _vanished!_ Did they both _dodge_ or get _knocked_ out of bounds?!"

Sayomi gasped when she spotted the fighters. They were both breathing heavily and covered in cuts and bruises. They were both missing their shirts and their pants had a couple holes and rips. Chu's skin tone was even back to normal.

"Meow?!" Koto noticed them behind her. "Whoa! They're _behind_ me! And _standing!_ They're both _scruffed up,_ though!"

Chu smirked and said, "That's your _four shots,_ guy. And your aura's spent. Nuthin' left but normal human strength… Am I right?"

Yusuke smirked and said, "Pretty much."

Chu braced his hands on his lap to hold himself up. "Same for me, actually. Heh…"

"Heh… Heh heh heh heh…" Yusuke laughed, despite his worn state. Then, they both began to laugh openly at their situation. Sayomi found herself grinning along with them.

"Stalemated and _laughing_ about it!" Koto couldn't believe it. "I'll _never_ figure out what makes true combat junkies tick!"

"Still… We gotta _settle_ this." Chu smirked, still breathing heavily.

"No doubt." Yusuke agreed, panting from exhaustion.

"Okay, how 'bout _this?_ " Chu held up two combat knives in his hand by the blades. " _Knife-Edge Sudden Death!_ "

Chu flipped the knives so he was holding them at the hilts. He made his way towards Yusuke and stabbed one knife into the ring. He then turned to do the same thing a couple feet away.

"He drove _two knives_ into the stone. What's he _up_ to?" Kuwabara wondered suspiciously.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it can't be good for Yusuke." Sayomi watched the drunk carefully, trying to figure him out.

"Take off your shoes and place your right heel against the knife's edge." Chu instructed then demonstrated for Yusuke to follow. "We're now set at th' borders of _life and death._ Th' only rule is stay _within_ those bound'ries. Th' one who falls outside will pay with his life! Awright, announcer, at yer _signal!_ "

"Uh… Sure." Koto agreed uncertainly.

The two fighters stared each other down, smirking eagerly for a good fight. Chu clenched his fists and said, "We'll use only our _sheer physical strength!_ He who beats th' crap out of th' other— _wins!_ "

Sayomi bit her lip nervously. _I know Yusuke is hard-headed, but this is just suicidal. Although, he does seem to be having fun. I just hope he doesn't get himself killed. I'd hate to be the one to break the news to Keiko…_

" _Begin!_ " Koto called out, signaling the start of the Knife-Edge Sudden Death.

Without wasting a breath, Chu threw a solid left cross to Yusuke's face. At the same time, Yusuke delivered a right uppercut to Chu's stomach, followed by a left hook to Chu's face. Chu retaliated with an uppercut of his own to Yusuke's gut, stealing the boy's breath and forcing his foot against to blade.

" _Raah!_ " Chu threw a left hook, but Yusuke managed to dodge it just barely.

" _Raah Raah!_ " Yusuke pummeled Chu's abdomen with punch after punch in rapid succession. Chu was stunned but he was quick to recover, punching Yusuke in the face just as Yusuke punched Chu in the jaw.

"Oh… man…" Kuwabara watched the match with wide eyes, unable to look away as blood splattered on the ring floor. "They just keep _pounding!_ They're _flippin' nuts!_ "

 _Man, this is intense. This could take a while before either of them give in. They must be crazy to agree to such a thing…_ Sayomi couldn't look away either. While she knew Yusuke's life was at risk, she couldn't bring herself to even _want_ to get him to safety. He looked like he was really enjoying himself.

 _No… Just waiting for an opening. The end will be quick!_ Hiei answered her unspoken thoughts telepathically.

 _So long as Yusuke is the one left standing…_ Sayomi gasped when she noticed Chu move.

" _Narrrr!_ " Chu delivered a strong right hook to Yusuke's temple, causing him to wobble on his feet and the knife to cut into his foot.

" _No!_ " Kuwabara and Sayomi yelled.

" _Now!_ " Chu turned his head upwards, then propelled himself, head first, at Yusuke. " _Take this!_ "

" _Yay!_ " Rinku cheered with a fist pump. "Chu's patented _head-butt!_ This'll _do_ it!"

Yusuke managed to halt his fall. Then he mimicked Chu, throwing his own head-butt to meet Chu half way. There was a loud crack that echoed throughout the silent stadium, followed by a spray of blood from the impact. The force was enough to push the knives into both of their feet.

Everyone watched, holding their breaths for one of the fighters to fall. Before long, Chu's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he teetered over to the side. He landed with a loud thud and his head hit the floor hard enough to leave cracks.

"Did Yusuke… _live_ through that?" Kuwabara asked nervously.

"I believe so…" Sayomi whispered.

"Heh… You forgot, dude…" Yusuke grinned, ignoring his battered body. "…We humans _invented_ the head-butt."

" _3! 4! 5!_ " Koto wasted no time in starting her count. " _6! 7! 8!_ "

Chu clenched his fist on the floor.

" _9! 10!_ " Koto swung her arm to point at Yusuke. " _Urameshi wins!_ The winners, with a score of 3-1— _Team Urameshi!_ "

" _Right on! Thought we'd fold at th' start? Hah!_ " Kuwabara yelled, pumped from the adrenaline the match ignited.

" _Chu!_ " Rinku ran up to the fallen warrior in worry. "Phew! Out like a light. I don't _get it!_ Chu's _head's_ hard as a _rock._ How could a _mortal's_ skull knock him out?"

"Hey, kid."

"Ulp! _Yeah?!_ " Rinku looked up at Yusuke nervously.

Yusuke simply smirked and gave him a thumbs-up. "When he wakes up, tell him we should do this _again_ sometime."

"Er… Sure thing, guy." Rinku laughed nervously then spoke under his breath. "'Combat junkie,' nuthin'! He defies description!"

"You _bums_ were all _talk!_ "

"You had us _rootin'_ for you!"

" _Kill!_ "

The crowd took the loss pretty hard by Sayomi's observations. _Cowards. Why don't you step into the ring if you want to kill so badly?_

" _Sissies! Losers! Die already!_ "

" _Kill!_ "

" _I want a refund!_ "

" _We'll finish them off!_ "

" _We'll fight 'em till they die!_ "

" _Kill!_ "

"' _Jolly Devil Six' my heinie!_ "

" _Good for nuthin' wusses!_ "

" _Kill!_ "

" _No survivors!_ "

" _Die!_ "

"Fickle _scum…_ " Kuwabara grumbled, glaring at the rowdy crowd. "…fair-weather _demon hordes!_ "

"We can agree on that much, Kuwabara." Sayomi glared at them, ashamed for once to be part of their race.

"Aww, let 'em vent." Rinku glared at them as well, yet he seemed used to such harsh words. "They ain't got the _nuts_ to fight!"

" _Shut up, you butt-wipes!_ " Yusuke yelled at the top of his lungs, startling the whole stadium to silence. He glared and pointed down to the stadium ring with his jacket slung over his shoulder. Sayomi and the rest of the team joined him on the ring to glare up at the spectators. " _You want a piece of anybody down here? C'mon, then! I'll knock all your heads in, one by one! Who's first, huh?_ "

" _We'll_ knock, he means." Kuwabara corrected with a serious expression.

"Grr…" The crowd watched in silence, not wanting to die by the detective's hands.

"Urameshi…" Rinku muttered, admiring the boy's character.

The crowd waited for them to make their way out of the arena before they began to taunt again.

" _Don't get cocky, human!_ "

" _Save yer ferocity for the next round!_ "

Sayomi helped Yusuke across the stadium floor and into the locker room. She took deep breaths and ignored the angry crowd in favor of helping her charge. Once they made it to the locker room, Sayomi set herself to healing what she could of Yusuke's wounds.

"Man, that fight was so intense _I_ was starting to feel pain." Sayomi focused on the boy's face first and black energy spread from her palms in small waves.

"You're telling me! Man, what I would give to have been in your shoes!" Kuwabara grinned at the memory.

"Chu was a very formidable opponent. You are very fortunate he was a fair fighter. Such a thing is rare in the Demon World." Kurama noted with a smile.

"Same for you, Kuwabara. It looks like Rinku got his fairness from being around Chu. He could've killed you if he really wanted to." Sayomi finished healing Yusuke's face and made her way down to his chest and abdomen.

"She has a point unfortunately." Hiei agreed. "He had plenty of chances to end it, but it seems your stupidity is surpassed only by your luck."

"Hey! I would've clobbered 'im if it was a _street fight!_ I'll beat 'im next time." Kuwabara punched his fist into his open palm and grumbled to himself.

"There won't _be_ a next time. You need to focus on the next match instead of past failures." Sayomi moved on to Yusuke's back.

"Yeah, Sayomi's right." Yusuke agreed with a serious expression. "While I do look forward to a rematch with Chu one day, we need to rest and get ready for the next round."

Sayomi smirked and focused on healing his arms. Kurama nodded and said, "They will have a couple of more fights today and tomorrow will be the second half of the first round. By then, we should have a good idea of who to look out for."

"Speak for yourself Kurama. I have more useful ways to spend my time." Hiei glared at the red-head before directing his attention out the window.

Sayomi slid a glance to the fire demon's arm and her eyes narrowed slightly in worry. _I may not be able to heal it completely, but I could at least try to speed up the process if I can._

"Thanks for the first aid, Sayomi." Yusuke brought the shadow demon's attention back to him. "I still feel a little sore, but it's a lot better than how I would've felt in the morning. If your healing improved this much, I'm curious about how you would be in a fight."

The compliment took her off guard and she blinked at him. "Well, as much as I would love to fight in the tournament, we don't need any of you dying to make it happen."

"True, but maybe we could spar a bit on the sidelines?" Yusuke brought her down into a headlock and proceeded to rub his knuckle into her head with a grin on his face.

"Ow!" Sayomi shut her eyes in pain and tried to push the delinquent away. "Don't push it, Yusuke!"

"Yusuke." Kurama placed a hand on the teen's shoulder, stopping his playful assault. "While I'm sure Sayomi would enjoy such a thing, she needs to rest herself. She's been healing not only your wounds, but everyone else's as well. Energy can be taxing no matter how it's used."

Yusuke released Sayomi from his hold and she sighed in relief. She smiled up at the red-head gratefully. "Thanks, Kurama."

He returned her smile then slid his gaze to Hiei. Sayomi followed his lead and glanced at the fire demon. His arm was in his pocket as he stood leaning against the wall and stared out the window. She frowned at what burns she could see on his forearm.

 _That must be very painful. How can he handle it without expressing it outwardly?_ Sayomi wondered to herself and resolved to take a closer look at it the next day. She knew he wouldn't let her look at it if there were witnesses. _Maybe it's just him being stubborn as usual._

As if he could feel her gaze, Hiei turned to meet her eyes. _I don't need your help. You can stop with the pitiful staring._

Sayomi's eyes widened at the unexpected comment, but she quickly composed them into a glare. _You say that but even you need to admit that wound is only gonna be an obvious weakness. The least I could do is help you with the pain._

 _Tch. This is only a minor inconvenience._

 _Say that all you want, but I'm gonna take a look at it. For someone who looks down on the weak, it's pretty hypocritical considering your current state._ Sayomi crossed her arms and refused to back down from Hiei as they privately argued.

Yusuke pointed at them and turned to Kurama and Kuwabara. "Is it just me, or do you feel like you're being left out of something?"

Kuwabara watched the two demons wearily. "Maybe they're planning to duke it out themselves."

Kurama smiled knowingly and said, "I don't think we have to worry about that happening, Kuwabara. Let's go back to the hotel for now. It would be best for everyone to eat a good meal and get plenty of rest while we can."

"Yeah, food sounds awesome right now. Hey, Sai! Hiei! We're gonna go get some food. Snap out of your lovey dovey secret gossip and let's go back to the room." Yusuke grinned mischievously at the two demons and made his way out the door.

Sayomi snapped out of her telepathic argument with Hiei and turned to see the others leaving. "Ah! Wait up, Yusuke! That's _not_ what was happening and you know it!"

She took advantage of the distraction to get away from Hiei and his stern gaze. _Stubborn jerk, I'm just trying to help…_


	19. Chapter 19

Sayomi woke up to a door closing. It wasn't loud, but she was more accustomed to sleeping outside. It was either the unfamiliar room or her own paranoia from the night before. When she looked around the room, she noticed that Yusuke and Kuwabara were still snoring away in their beds. The Masked Fighter and Hiei were nowhere in sight. When she looked outside the windows, she could just see the sun begin to creep up over the horizon.

A light slurping sound brought her attention to the couch. She spotted a crop of red hair from over the back of the furniture. She stretched and made her way over to greet Kurama. "What time is it?"

Kurama smiled up at her, setting his coffee back on the small saucer on the table. "Good morning, Sayomi. It's just a little after six."

"Wow, six in the _morning?_ How are you up so early?" Sayomi yawned and sat down on the couch to pour herself a cup of coffee.

"It's a habit I developed while living in Human World. Do you normally sleep in?" Kurama turned to face Sayomi properly and gave her his full attention.

"Yeah, I normally stay up pretty late, then wake up around noon or so. Although, I suppose I _have_ noticed that humans tend to have fairly early schedules." Sayomi recalled her old teacher having to wake her up when she dozed off during meditations. Then she recalled why she would stay up so late to begin with. She smiled to herself as she drank her coffee.

"A night owl. I suppose that isn't too surprising for a shadow demon."

"I guess not, but I wouldn't really know." Sayomi stared down at her cup. "The only other shadow demon I knew died a long time ago."

Kurama's eyes widened and his expression became sad. "I apologize for bringing up unpleasant memories. That was not my intention."

Sayomi shook her head with an apologetic smile. "No, it's okay. You don't really know anything about me so it's not your fault."

"This is true, but I don't intend to intrude if it is troubling to remember. We all have skeletons in our closets, don't we?" Kurama smiled and took a drink from his coffee.

"Yeah… Maybe one day, though…" Sayomi looked up from her cup and turned to the red-head curiously. "So what are you doing up so early, anyways?"

"I intend to watch the rest of the matches today and see who makes it into the next round. It would be wise if we had an idea of what to expect in upcoming matches."

"Oh, right. That's a good point." Sayomi covered a yawn and took another sip of coffee. "Who's fighting today?"

"I believe Team Toguro fights today." Kurama's tone drew her attention. He spoke calmly about the event, but she noticed his firm grip on the coffee cup. "It is only the first round, but even a shred of information is better than none."

Sayomi looked over to the sleeping boys. "Do you think they're ready for something like this?" She couldn't help worrying about her charge, but Kuwabara had already lost a match in just the first round. _Then again, could I have done any better?_

"I have not seen Toguro fight personally, but I understand he is not a light threat. We've all trained to the best of our capabilities for the allotted time crunch." Kurama rested his hand on her shoulder and smiled. "We don't doubt your skills in battle, Sayomi. Hiei has told me of a few times when you seemed to surprise him."

Sayomi raised an eyebrow in doubt. "Are you kidding? Everything I did came with a stream of insults."

Kurama chuckled and removed his hand. "Well, I admit those were not his exact words."

"Yeah, I bet they weren't." Sayomi scowled and drank from her coffee. "I probably shouldn't have assumed that I would be fighting too, but…"

"I think Yusuke knows what he's doing." Kurama smiled, trying to comfort the sullen demoness. "As Chu demonstrated, just because you're the alternate, that doesn't necessarily mean you're weak."

"I guess you're right…" Sayomi looked up at him and smiled back. "I'll be okay not fighting if that means someone has to die for it. Besides, who else is going to clean you guys up when you nearly kill yourselves?" Her smile lengthened to a teasing smirk.

"I suppose we would have to lick our own wounds, wouldn't we?" Kurama finished his coffee and set the empty cup back on the table. "I should be on my way before it gets too late. Feel free to go back to sleep for a few more hours." He glanced at Yusuke's and Kuwabara's sprawled bodies. "I'm sure they won't wake up too soon themselves."

She glanced over at the sleeping boys and smiled. "Yeah… More sleep sounds good…"

Kurama made his way to the door and said, "You would do well to rest while you can. The fights will only get worse from here."

Sayomi waved lazily until he shut the door. She finished her coffee and made her way back to bed. She snuggled under the sheets and drifted back to sleep.

When she opened her eyes again, the sun was shining into the room from the massive windows. She shielded her eyes from the bright intrusion and stretched. She looked over to the other beds, looking for Yusuke and Kuwabara. When she realized both beds were empty, she growled to herself. "I should've just stayed awake while I had the chance."

She got out of bed and made her way down to the hotel lobby. Spotting no sign of the boys, she made her way outside.

The sun was high in the sky and puffy clouds floated by in the breeze. The heat from the sun coupled with cool wind made for a great day to be outside. _Why didn't I just stay awake?_

Shaking off her remaining fatigue, Sayomi made her way into the nearby tree-line. The grass felt cold against her feet and the dirt was warm and dry. Enjoying the feel of the earth beneath her feet, she began to jog through the trees.

 _Man, I don't care how advanced human technology is. Nothing beats running through the woods!_ Sayomi smiled broadly as she picked up speed, allowing herself to slip into her semi-corporal form. She glided through the shadows of the canopy, darting from shadow to shadow.

She stumbled upon various demons around the island, but it didn't take her long to locate the only sources of human aura. Odd thing was, she could only sense one strong energy signature while she could just barely get a faint whisper of the other one. _That doesn't bode well, now does it?_

" _Your Reigun's kaput?!_ "

Sayomi smirked as she recognized the rough voice, then frowned when she realized what he said. _Yusuke's Reigun?_

"Seems so…"

She solidified behind a tree, hearing Yusuke's reply. She walked out into the open with her hands in her pockets. "What's this about your Reigun, Yusuke?"

"Jeez!" Kuwabara jumped at her sudden appearance. "Where did _you_ come from?"

"You shouldn't ask questions you don't want the answers to." She smiled innocently at him until he became nervous enough to look away. Despite his high awareness, Kuwabara was easily spooked and she had fun pushing his buttons when the opportunity presented itself.

"Hey, Sai. Nice to see you decided to join the rest of us day-walkers." Yusuke smirked at the demoness, teasing her right back.

"Yeah, well, you know how alluring the land of dreams is. I just had to see what happened next." She arched her eyebrow and asked, "So what's up with your Reigun?"

Kuwabara slipped his hands into his pockets and said, "You're just _beat_ from yesterday, is all. My _whole body_ hurts… though not as bad as before."

"You're welcome…" Sayomi muttered, glaring at the ungrateful boy.

"No…" Yusuke shook his head. "… After firing four shots in one day during training, I was ragged out, sure, and my Reigun didn't have much oomph… but now I can't seem to be able to summon _any aura_ at all. Even _with_ Sai's healing."

"Not good." Kuwabara muttered seriously.

"Thing is, _why…?_ " Yusuke wondered aloud.

Sayomi pondered until a young female voice spoke up behind them. "Because that split decision _sucked you dry._ " Sayomi's eyes widened when she saw the Masked Fighter, her hands held behind her back. "Rapid Fire is not for beginners. It's an _advanced_ technique, far beyond anyone with only _six months' training._ "

Sayomi blinked in confusion while the boys huddled up together. _So that's_ not _Master Genkai…? She's about the right size, but she sounds too_ young…

The Masked Fighter's gaze locked with Sayomi for a brief moment before she turned to leave. "Don't use your Reigun until you're _fully_ recovered. Or you'll ruin your arm, like someone else we know."

Sayomi instantly thought of a certain fire demon with a scorched arm. _Where is Hiei? I need to look at his arm…_ She scanned the trees, trying to get some kind of hint for where he could be.

"You okay, Sai? You've been zoning out for a few minutes now." Yusuke poked her forehead a few times as he spoke.

"Huh?" Sayomi snapped out of her concentration at Yusuke's question and pushed his hand away. "Oh, Sorry. I was trying to find Hiei. I need to get a proper look at his arm if he plans to fight in the next round tomorrow."

"I think I heard him and Kurama leave like at the crack of dawn or somethin'." Kuwabara scratched the back of his head as he tried to remember through his haze of sleep at the time. "I thought you might've left with them until I saw you sleeping this morning."

"What time did _you_ guys get up?" If it was already afternoon, she couldn't help but wonder what the boys considered sleeping in.

"We woke up at like 10." Yusuke answered bluntly. "We ordered room service for breakfast then came out here."

"I didn't see any food in the room." Sayomi tried to recall the image of their hotel room when she left. All she could remember were the empty beds. She wasn't worried about food at the time.

"Well, that's not our fault." Yusuke waved off her moodiness and said, "As for Hiei, good luck finding him. He usually ends up finding you instead."

Sayomi sighed and said, "Thanks, Yusuke. You've been a big help as always…"

"I try," the boy said with a smirk.

Sayomi shook her head and began to search for Hiei. With a final wave over her shoulder, she said, "If I don't find him, I'll meet you guys in the hotel room."

"Sure thing," Yusuke said with a wave of his own. "See ya, Sai."

Once the boys were well out of hearing range, Sayomi crossed her arms and tried to reach out with her senses. _If I were a wounded fire demon with a badly burned arm, where would I be?_

Sayomi wandered around the woods for about an hour before she growled. "Grrrr… Maybe Yusuke was right, but he's got to be around here _somewhere!_ "

She expanded her senses again and got nothing. She sighed and decided to take a break. She found a comfy looking tree and made her way through its large branches. Once settled, she began her deep breathing exercises.

She opened her mind's eyes and found herself in the void she had grown accustomed to. Sayomi looked around, searching for her shade, but she only saw darkness. She stood up from her lotus position and began to walk forward.

"This is odd. She's always waiting for me when I come here…" Her voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to carry on forever before fading out in the distance. _Has it always been that way?_

No matter how far she walked, there was nothing but empty darkness. It was so quiet, she could almost hear her own heart pumping the blood through her veins. She looked down at her arms and realized they were exposed. She didn't think to check her physical appearance since before the tournament started.

Her arms were covered in black markings that weaved and trailed over her skin. She lifted her shirt enough to see the markings creep just around her stomach. She didn't need to see her back to know that it was already covered. She pulled her shirt back down and looked around for any sign of anything.

"I see you've finally grown into your power."

"Ahhhh!" Sayomi jumped at the sudden voice. After spending so much time in silence, the voice sounded like it was blasting through a speaker. She turned around and froze in place. Her eyes widened as she recognized the figure. "You're… not dead…?"

Standing before her was a young man with long black hair tied in a ponytail and piercing silver eyes. His eyes were surrounded with black marks similar to the ones on Sayomi's own body. He wore a silver sash tied around loose dark gray pants and a matching sleeveless tunic, exposing arms without any markings. He smiled down at her, baring white teeth, and said, "It's been a long time, hasn't it, Sayomi?"

"Yasuhiro…" The name tasted foreign on her lips. It had been years since she had spoken it aloud or in thought. "Is this… Have I fallen asleep?" That would be a relief if that was the reason she couldn't find her shade.

Yasuhiro's smile faded and he sighed, shaking his head. "I'm afraid not. And no, I'm not dead. We have a lot of catching up to do."

Sayomi felt her legs shake and she slowly sank to the floor. She needed to sit down. "How did you survive? I thought… The last time I saw you, you were…"

Yasuhiro walked forward and patted Sayomi's head in an old, familiar gesture. "I know it's sudden, but you need to calm down. You've been letting yourself get too excited too quickly."

Sayomi gasped. "How do you…?"

"I've been looking for you for a long time. However, you never used your power offensively until now. I would've found you a lot sooner if you had." His eyebrows drew in together in thought. "I only noticed when you used it back in Demon City. There were also rumors about the Spirit Detective and I recall sensing the human aura close to you. When I investigated, I followed your aura trail and it disappeared along with the humans."

Sayomi lowered her eyes in shame and whispered, "I know how it seems, but…" She looked up at him and spoke without hesitation. "…Yusuke's _not_ like them."

"How long have you been with the detective?" He removed his hand from her head and reached for her wrist instead, bringing it up to show her markings. "How long did it take you to get like _this?_ "

Sayomi tugged on her arm, but his grip only held on strong and secure. "I'm working on it."

"You have no idea what you're doing." He let go so she could rub at the sore joint. "Staying with them will only speed up the process. It's only a matter of time before they turn on _you_."

Sayomi looked up at him defiantly and got back to her feet. "You're not Yasuhiro. He would believe me."

"It's not a matter of _believing_ you, Sayomi. It's only a matter of you _losing_ _control_ and him being assigned to _kill_ _you_ himself. He may be your friend now, but he's still the Underworld's lapdog." Yasuhiro sighed and shook his head. "You shouldn't be taking such unnecessary risks."

"Yusuke needs me right now. And not just him. Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei, the Masked Fighter… I need to be there to help them! I'm the one _healing_ their wounds!" Sayomi couldn't leave them at such a critical time. _I'm still part of the team, right?_

"Is _that_ what you've been working on all this time?" Yasuhiro seemed genuinely impressed. "Why would you want to use it offensively if you can use it for something so much more beneficial?"

"I can't survive on my own if I only know how to heal and I don't want to rely on others to fight _for_ me. Besides, I _enjoy_ it. I have _fun_ training with Yusuke and Hiei and—"

"Did you say Hiei?" Yasuhiro cut her off as he realized who she was referring to. "And you mentioned Kurama. Why are you hanging around such traitors?"

"Traitors? They were wanted criminals and Yusuke defeated them. They helped us at Demon City!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. _How can he judge them so harshly when he hasn't even_ met them?!

"Are you saying you've been _helping_ him?" Yasuhiro spoke quietly.

Sayomi arched an eyebrow and said, "Yeah, why is that so hard to believe?"

"Have you forgotten that _they_ were the ones who separated us?" The man kept his eyes hidden from her. He couldn't look her in the eyes.

"Yasuhiro, I know how it seems, but they only target criminals. We were being _hunted—_ "

"By the Underworld as suspected criminals." He looked up at her with a cold stare. "I know where you are, Sayomi. The Dark Tournament is being broadcasted live as we speak. I understand you're with the guest team and cannot leave them willingly at this point, but I will come for you once it is over. Presuming you don't die before then…"

"I won't leave them." Sayomi clenched her fists defiantly. "When the time is right, I'll come find you, but I can't leave him so soon. There's too much riding on his survival."

"The longer you wait, the more you will lose yourself. You're already so far gone that you've become addicted to the power. I can't just look the other way and watch you disappear!"

"That's why I'm trying to get _stronger!_ " Sayomi couldn't help it. She was trying to get through to him but he refused to listen. "I know I'll fade away if I don't get stronger. I'm glad you haven't faded yourself, but I need to stay with them. Like you said, I've gone too far at this point."

"You can still take control of it, but at least let me _help_ you. You _need_ another shadow demon to guide you through this process." Yasuhiro tried to reason with her, but Sayomi slowly shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but I won't expose you to them again. I've made my choice. I'm staying with Yusuke and the others." Sayomi looked directly at him, using her experience with Hiei and any other stubborn males she's known. "You can either wait until I'm ready, or you can come with me, but I am _not_ leaving them."

Yasuhiro sighed and scratched the back of his head, annoyed with the outcome of the conversation. "You used to be so cooperative. I suppose that outspoken boy has at least taught you to speak up for yourself."

Sayomi blinked at him. _Have I really changed that much?_

"Very well. I will continue to watch you from a distance until the end of the tournament. By that time…" He turned and walked away, melding with the darkness until he was out of sight. His voice, however, still echoed in the darkness. "…I hope you'll be prepared to return to the Demon Plane where you belong."

Sayomi opened her eyes and found herself back on the island. She sighed and brought a hand to her forehead. "That wasn't a dream after all…"

"What wasn't a dream?"

Sayomi whipped her head around but couldn't find the source of the voice. "Where are you, Hiei? I know that wasn't telepathy."

"Relax. I'm behind you on the other side of the tree."

"Oh." Sayomi sighed and leaned back against the trunk. "I guess I'll have to apologize to Kuwabara."

"What for?"

"I like to sneak up on him the way you tend to do with me and everyone else in general." Sayomi scowled at the forest in front of her, but the look was intended for the demon behind her. "Where have you been, anyway? I've been looking all over the island for you."

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to."

Sayomi's mouth hung open in shock. "Have you been _spying_ on me?!"

"Don't flatter yourself. Kurama suggested that I keep watch on you in case you leave yourself vulnerable to attack. If you were more aware during your meditations, this wouldn't be necessary."

"Oh?" Sayomi glared over her shoulder, imagining him through the tree trunk. "And what about _your_ _vulnerability?_ I don't suppose your arm healed overnight."

She smirked when he appeared right in front of her in a crouch. He was still in his sleeveless black shirt and his arm looked worse than the day before. His face was devoid of anything but smoldering anger. "I don't require any healing from you. The only thing that you _should_ be worrying about is _your own_ vulnerability. Who was that in your meditation?"

"You were…" Sayomi's smirk fell and her eyes widened slightly. "…Watching?"

"Obviously." Hiei watched her confidence deteriorate as she recalled the encounter. "Now who was it?"

Sayomi reached for her hood, but Hiei grabbed both of her wrists, growling at the pain from his right arm. He lowered his voice and growled, "You will _look_ _at_ _me_ when you are speaking to me."

Sayomi couldn't look anywhere else. She stared at the red eyes that reflected her crumpled appearance. She couldn't bring herself to speak above a whisper. "Yasuhiro…"

Hiei slowly relaxed his grip, but held on in case she tried something he didn't like. He spoke calmly since she seemed to be cooperating. "And who is Yasuhiro?"

 _Yasuhiro… Why was he here? How did he survive? And what happened to my…?_ Sayomi began to feel her body tremble as she realized what her Shade had meant before. _This is what she meant by fading away…?_

"If you don't answer me, I won't hesitate to probe for the answers myself." Hiei applied slight pressure to her wrists to draw her attention.

She snapped out of her daze and focused back on the fire demon. "Hiei… My Shade is gone…"

Hiei showed no signs of reaction as he said, "You mean the thing you talk to?"

"She's not a _thing_ …" Sayomi tried to pull free, but Hiei ignored her efforts. Sayomi glared at him and finished, "…She's _me!_ " In a fluid motion, she twisted her wrist around his right wrist. The movement forced Hiei to relinquish his grip and clutch at his arm in pain.

She stood up and glared down at him. "If you don't want me to _heal_ you, then fine. But if you want to _fight,_ I won't hesitate to take advantage of your weakness."

"Heh heh." Hiei chuckled to himself and smirked up at her. "Is this the side that you're so afraid to show? Why even bother hiding it? Do you want people to like you despite your nature?"

"Like you're one to talk." Sayomi felt a smirk creep on her face. "I know a certain ice maiden who wants to meet you despite _your_ nature."

Hiei glared at her murderously. "Is your word that meaningless or do you truly harbor a death wish?"

"Neither." Sayomi's glare softened and she couldn't help the rush of envy and sadness when she thought about their situation. "If you want to keep her in the dark, then that's your choice…" Hiei was about to speak but she cut him off. "…But doesn't she get a choice in this at all?"

"No. She doesn't." Hiei stood up and glared slightly up at her. "Now stop avoiding the question and tell me who Yasuhiro is. I won't ask again."

Sayomi bit her lip nervously as she thought about answering him. _Can I trust him with this? I guess it would only be fair, but…_ "He's my older brother."

Hiei kept his glare on her and asked, "Now why don't you want to go back with _your_ brother?"

"Because I'm needed more here." Yasuhiro's sudden return from the grave was enough to shake her up a bit. Sayomi wanted to go back with him, but she was still paying off her debt to the one she owed her life to. "I can survive one more week without him."

"Are you sure he can be trusted after all this time?" Hiei slipped his hands into his pockets, ignoring the pain from his arm. "For all you know, he could be an imposter."

"It's him, Hiei." Sayomi sighed and looked away from his gaze. "He's right about me losing control. The same thing happened to him when we were running. He became a different person and he was covered in the same markings I am. My brother's alive…"

Hiei sighed and said, "If you intend to keep this a secret, then you best well keep mine."

"I understand…" Sayomi whispered quietly.

"Good." Hiei walked towards her and stopped beside her. He glanced at her and quietly said, "You can't leave until you follow up on my favor."

Sayomi's eyes widened as she recalled her promise. By the time she turned to address him, he was already gone.

The sun was already beginning to set when Sayomi made her way back to the hotel. She had lifted her hood to keep anyone from immediately recognizing her. When she made it to the room, she took a deep breath and lowered her hood. She walked in on Yusuke and Kuwabara hunched over the coffee table in deep thought.

Sayomi peeked over their shoulders and saw Yusuke holding a piece of paper. The top of the tree chart was reserved for the Dark Tournament Victor. At the bottom of the chart was a list of teams. From left to right it listed Team Urameshi, Team Ichigaki, Shadow Channelers, Deadly Half Dozen, Myth Begotten Manglers, High Five Rangers, Diablo Troopers, and Team Toguro.

"We're up against… Team Toguro." Yusuke blinked at the paper, trying to make sense of the chart.

"Why am I _not surprised?!_ " Kuwabara growled angrily. "That 'fair lottery' was _rigged,_ or I'm a snow macaque! I wasn't called to attend the drawing, so I'd say you're _right!_ "

"I'm not so sure about that, guys."

"Aaagh!" The boys jumped when Sayomi spoke up behind them.

"Damn, Sai! You're just as bad as Hiei when it comes to showing up out of nowhere." Yusuke glared at the shadow demon playfully.

"I walked through the door. It's not my fault you weren't paying attention." Sayomi crossed her arms and smirked at the boys.

Kuwabara glared and said, "Well you could at least announce yourself instead of creeping up on us like that."

Sayomi arched an eyebrow and asked, "Aren't _you_ supposed to be the sensitive one?"

"Man, you're acting more like the shrimp every day. I thought you hated him." Kuwabara narrowed his eyes, as if it would help him see something physically different about her.

"It's just because he snuck up on me while I was meditating. I guess you could say it irked me a bit." She glanced at Kuwabara and grinned. "By the way, sorry about scaring you. I know it annoys _me_ when _he_ does it."

Kuwabara blinked in confusion and muttered, "Uh, it's okay, I guess."

"So what did you mean when you said you didn't think so? If we don't go against Toguro, then who do we fight?" Yusuke stared at the chart again, holding his chin in thought.

"Based on the branches of the chart, if you follow the one on top then it will break down into each round based on who wins the previous. When you get to the bottom, it looks more like you're up against Team Ichigaki, whoever _that_ is." Sayomi stared at the name, hoping it would jog her memory.

She recalled her teacher lecturing her about current affairs happening in the Demon Plane, but she hadn't really cared to pay much attention at the time. Instead, she had focused on paying her debt to earn her freedom and preparing for it. _Had Teacher mentioned an Ichigaki or am I just hoping he did so I could have something to help them through the match? Damn it, why didn't I just listen?!_

"Well, whoever we're up against, they're gonna get it tomorrow!" Kuwabara grinded his teeth and said, "I'm not gonna let anyone get the jump on me again!"

"I just hope I get my juice back by morning." Yusuke looked at his trigger finger worriedly. "Otherwise I'm screwed."

Sayomi watched Yusuke, but her mind was focused elsewhere. _I just hope Yasuhiro is wrong…_


	20. Chapter 20

" _Master! Master Mitamura!"_

" _Please don't die!"_

 _An old man laid in a futon with a large pillow and thick comforter. He had graying hair and aged laugh lines. He smiled at the young men sitting around him, heads hanging low in grief. "It isn't a choice I can make. My health is failing, and that is that. But I've no regrets… You wonderful children are here with me to ease my passing."_

" _Surgery could save him, but we don't have the money…" A young man with long dark hair spoke with regret. He had a mustache that sat well with his square jawline._

" _We owe him so much…" Another young man spoke angrily with a clenched fist. He had long brown hair that parted to expose a cross scar on the right side of his forehead. "He took us in, raised us, taught us disciplines of body and soul… There must be something we can do!"_

 _The old man turned to the two boys with a loving smile. "Such heartfelt regard… But I am not important. You are all ready."_

" _No! You need to get better!" A young teen with shaggy orange hair and a snaggle-tooth spoke up defiantly. "You must get better, whatever it takes…!"_

" _My name is Ichigaki." The men stood and turned to see a short, gray man with pointed ears and a large cleft chin. He had white hair that reached his shoulders but did not grow passed his ears. He had droopy eyes and his cranium dipped in the middle. He wore a simple white lab coat and matching white slacks. "I will cure your master… at no cost. There is just one condition…"_

" _What's_ that?! _"_

" _Who_ cares?! _We'll do_ anything! _"_

" _Hmm… Would you_ three _be willing…" Ichigaki pointed a clawed, bony finger at the boy with shaggy hair, the boy with the scar and the young man with the mustache. "…To take part in a little_ experiment _of mine? It's nothing complicated, I assure you. Gyuk gyuk…"_

"…And that was it." Kuwabara sat on his bed, facing Yusuke and Sayomi who were seated on the couch. He finished explained a dream he had just before waking up.

"Ichigaki, huh? Name sounds _familiar…_ " Yusuke reached for a canned drink as he tried to rack his brain for a clue.

Sayomi sighed and crossed her arms. "Really, Yusuke? It's the name of the team you guys are fighting today. Is your memory really _that_ terrible?"

"Shut up, Sai." Yusuke opened his drink and took a few gulps. "I'm just not really good with names."

"So Kurama and Hiei haven't come back?" Kuwabara asked as he reached for his own canned drink.

"Nope." Yusuke answered, gulping down the rest of his beverage.

"Hmph!" Kuwabara clenched his teeth and resisted the urge to crush his can. "Thought _Hell_ would reopen as an _ice rink_ before those _two ran_ away."

Yusuke finished his drink and set his empty can on the table. He smiled and said, "Don't sweat it. They'll show up."

"I hope so." Sayomi uncrossed her arms and looked at Yusuke uncertainly. "No offense, guys, but without them, our odds don't look too promising."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Kuwabara finished his drink and glared at Sayomi.

"I said 'no offense.'" Sayomi deadpanned. "Yusuke isn't at his best right now and you're the only one to lose a match in the first round."

"Why you…" Kuwabara grumbled and stood up with Yusuke, Sayomi, and the Masked Fighter. He slung his jacket over his shoulder and refused to look the demoness in the eye.

"All set? Let's go!" Yusuke announced as he made his way out the room.

As they made their way through the hotel hallway, they ran into a tall young man with brown hair. He wore royal blue robes with a scarlet scarf around his neck. Sayomi couldn't help staring at the baby blue pacifier in his mouth and the 'Jr' tattooed on his forehead.

"Hello?" Yusuke asked hesitantly.

"Nice work in the first round, guys." The stranger addressed the team in such a familiar manner, Yusuke was able to put it together himself.

"That voice… And that stupid _pacifier._ " Yusuke creased his eyebrows in concentration and he pointed accusingly at the stranger. "You're not…"

"I _am,_ Human World version." The stranger confirmed Yusuke's suspicion.

" _Gawd! You are Koenma!_ " Yusuke freaked out, his eyes wide and teeth clenched.

 _Oh crap…_ Sayomi froze and tried to attract as little attention as possible. _If what Yasuhiro said was true, does that mean I'm still a suspected criminal? I don't even_ know _what we were accused of!_

"You… uh… Humanize pretty good, but can't you ditch that thing? The readers are freaking." Yusuke tried to get used to a non-baby Koenma, but the pacifier made him almost as uncomfortable as Sayomi.

"Too bad for them." Koenma deadpanned carelessly. "I'm attending this event strictly as a _spectator,_ but I thought you should know about that _egg_ I gave you a while back."

"Huh?" Yusuke blinked and scratched his head. "Egg…?"

Koenma felt his patience wear thin as he tried to refresh the detective's memory. "Yes, the egg, the _beast_ egg…" When Yusuke showed no sign of recognition, Koenma snapped and yelled, "…The one that was supposed to _hatch_ when you came _back to life!_ "

"Ah!" Yusuke held up his finger as the memory came back to him.

"Don't 'Ah!' _me!_ " Koenma scolded the teen and composed himself with a stressful sigh. "Sheesh… Out of sight, out of mind. Quick review – I had you come back to life sooner than planned because your body and soul had to be in tune. As a consequence, the egg returned to the Underworld unhatched. But it's _growing_ , sustaining itself by drawing on your soul energy."

Sayomi's ears perked at the new information. _I remember Yusuke briefing over this before, but he neglected to mention that it was still feeding on his energy._ She glanced at the teen and sighed. _Then again, he probably had no idea._

"Hatching is now _imminent,_ " Koenma continued. "Just a matter of days. Once it emerges, the _hatchling may be of use to you!_ "

Yusuke rubbed the back of his head and pointed at himself with a goofy smile. "Great! So the _wait_ was _worth it!_ "

"The wait… Yeah, right." Koenma muttered to himself sarcastically before changing the subject. "So, how're your lessons with Master Genkai going? Getting good training in the meditative arts?"

Sayomi felt a shiver run down her spine as she felt Koenma's eyes sweep over her briefly. _Does he already know…?_

"Naw, still working on the basics of Reiki." Yusuke answered with a hint of annoyance in his tone. "I've progressed to making _explosive bursts_ of aura, and concentrating them on a _target._ "

Sayomi resisted to urge to do a face-palm. Instead, she felt her eyebrow twitch with irritation. _Isn't that what you've been doing since day one?_

"Awright!" Yusuke cheered as he left Koenma behind in the hall. "Let's _win_ this thing so I can see that egg _hatch!_ "

 _Did you already forget that you_ still _can't use your Reigun?_ Sayomi stared at Yusuke's back in worry. She tried to ignore the paranoid feeling that Koenma was keeping a close eye on her. _So long as he doesn't try to kill me or anything…_

"Hey! What's _goin' on?_ "

"Those _teams_ ain't _complete!_ "

Sayomi ignored the crowd's shouts of displeasure and focused on the team in front of her. There was a short troll in a lab coat and three humans. She glared at the troll suspiciously. _This is too much of a coincidence that we both happen to be missing two teammates._

"Those _guys,_ they're… right outta my _dream!_ " Kuwabara muttered to himself with clenched teeth. Sayomi slid a glance in the boy's direction to see him sweating nervously.

" _It's time! Both teams, step forward!_ " Koto instructed with a raised hand.

Yusuke and the troll both stepped forward to discuss the rules for the match. Yusuke kept his composure with his hands in his pockets as he looked down at the demon.

"Gyuk gyuk… Both teams _short,_ eh? Bound to happen, as the battles _whittle_ us down. This is a sort of _preview._ " The troll, Dr. Ichigaki, raised three clawed fingers and asked, "Will you accept _your three_ against _my three?_ "

"Don't see why not." Yusuke allowed casually. "What about you? You sittin' it out? We have a fourth fighter who would just love a chance in the ring."

"Gyuk gyuk…" The doctor chuckled and smirked up at the teen. "I'm just the team advisor and alternate. My dear _boys_ here will do the fighting."

Yusuke stared down at the troll as he raised his finger to point at the detective. "Most demons think humans are poor fighters, but I'm _one_ demon who knows different. Fact is, you humans are _very talented._ Properly trained and conditioned, you become excellent _killing_ machines." Dr. Ichigaki's voice began to raise in volume and his smirk became a wide grin. "I have a dream – to create the ultimate biological weapons! Perfect slaughter machines to do my bidding, without fear or question!"

Sayomi clenched her fists, and glared at the short demon. _I'm already tired of listening to this damn troll. It's a shame he's too much of a coward to step in the ring. I'd love to take a swing at him myself._

The doctor calmed down and clasped his hands behind his back. "These three are my prototypes. Took pulling a few strings to procure them…" Dr. Ichigaki's smirk widened and Sayomi felt sick just looking at him. "…But it's been worth it. This should be a _fine_ battle."

"You done?" Yusuke asked, just as annoyed with the troll as Sayomi.

"Just about." Dr. Ichigaki raised a finger and said, "I'm also very interested in _you two._ Care to make a little _wager?_ If my boys _win,_ I get your corpses. New brains, simple resuscitation… You'll be good as new."

Sayomi bristled at the doctor's words. "Over my dead body!"

"Fine." Sayomi snapped her attention to Yusuke in shock. Yusuke ignored her and glared at the doctor. "And if _we_ win, I kill you."

"Gyuk gyuk! You're _on!_ " Dr. Ichigaki turned to walk back to his team, assuming the stakes settled until the Masked Fighter stepped forward.

"Let's make it _more_ interesting. We propose… A _battle royale._ "

Sayomi stared at the Masked Fighter curiously. _That's not a bad idea, actually. Then Yusuke won't be at such a disadvantage without his aura._

The doctor slowly turned to face the Masked Fighter with a wide grin. "Gyuk gyuk! We accept!"

Sayomi and the troll doctor made their way out of the ring. Once on her side of the ring, Sayomi stole angry glances at the short demon. Once she was sure the troll didn't have any tricks up his sleeve, she shifted her eyes to her team. "I hope you know what you're doing, Yusuke."

"Reality's shaping up like my dream. Very weird." Kuwabara watched their opponents wearily.

"I've seen those three before." Sayomi, Yusuke, and Kuwabara turned their attention to the Masked Fighter. "They're students of a well-known martial artist. Great men, loyal and respectful toward their teacher, unwavering in their training. This is a very _sad_ state of affairs."

"That jibes with my _dream!_ " Kuwabara exclaimed, troubled with the turn of events. "That toad's _brainwashed_ 'em! They're bein' made t' fight _against_ their _will!_ "

" _Begin!_ " Koto announced, unaffected by the revelation.

The doctor's team immediately dashed forward. The boy with the scar lifted his right hand like a claw. The young boy with messy hair had three gold rings around each arm. The man with the mustache raised his fists like he was holding something.

" _Hound Claw!_ " The scarred boy dashed closer, raising his hand and staring down at Yusuke and Kuwabara.

" _Jump back!_ " The Masked Fighter shouted at the boys urgently, stopping them from reacting naturally.

The boys hesitated, but they did as she instructed. Just as their opponent was bringing his hand down towards them, they jumped back. Sayomi gasped when she saw the crater form just where the boys were standing. While they were still in midair, the mustached fighter pivoted on his braced leg and swung his arms. An invisible force was strong enough to hit the boys and knock them back down to the ring.

" _Glumph!_ " Kuwabara yelled in pain. He landed and skidded on the back of his neck and shoulders. "Didya see what _hit_ us?! I didn't see _nothin'!_ "

Yusuke landed upward and skidded back on his right hand and foot. His left arm covered his sore stomach as he tried to recover from the pain. "Some _invisible force,_ like that first guy's attack! If we hadn't _jumped back—!_ "

"Refining one's aura can make it invisible to weaker opponents." The Masked Fighter explained to the teens as she braced herself for the next attack. "You two are definitely in _that_ category."

"So how do we fight 'em?!" Yusuke and Kuwabara regained their footing and clenched their teeth angrily. Kuwabara wiped his fist across his injured chin.

Sayomi growled angrily from the sidelines. _This sucks! I can't do_ anything _to help from here! Those damn rings are distracting them from the actual threats. At this rate, they'll be too exhausted to fight back. And what the hell is keeping Hiei and Kurama anyway?!_

" _Yeah, run 'em down!_ "

" _Corner 'em! Kill 'em!_ "

The crowd chanted and yelled, craving blood. Sayomi glared at the smug troll. _I don't like the way his smile looks. He was too happy when the Masked Fighter made that offer._

The Dr.'s team rushed forward. The young one threw a half dozen rings towards Yusuke and Kuwabara, forcing them to dodge. Kuwabara had summoned his aura sword to defend himself against their attacks.

" _Gaah!_ " Kuwabara was knocked off his feet by the mustached man's invisible attack.

" _Unh!_ " Yusuke grunted in pain when the attack followed through to land a direct hit.

"Guys! Pay attention to the _other_ fighters! The runt is just distracting you!" Sayomi tried to remind them of the third fighter that was rushing in.

Yusuke gasped when he landed upside down on his right hand. The scarred fighter was closing in on him while he was off balance and vulnerable. The scarred fighter raised his hand, preparing to attack. "Aww, cra—"

Yusuke was cut off by the Masked Fighter who kicked him out of the way. The Masked Fighter got the full brunt of the Hound Claw. She held up her arms to shield her face, but she was still slammed down into the stadium floor and thrown across the ring.

"The _Masked Fighter_ took the _Hound Claw hit_ for his _teammate!_ " Koto announced from outside the ring. " _He's knocked out of bounds! Starting the count!_ "

"Oh crap!" Sayomi ran towards the Masked Fighter. When she reached the fighter, she stopped short and gasped.

The Masked Fighter's mask was torn from the attack. Sayomi could see wavy pink hair falling from the cloth wraps. _So it_ is _Genkai? I'm so confused!_

The Masked Fighter looked up at Sayomi with large brown eyes. "You needn't worry about me. You would be best off saving your energy for later."

"But you're Master Genkai, right?" Even though the woman was very young, Sayomi couldn't think of anyone else with pink hair. Let alone someone that Yusuke would trust to have his back like that.

The Masked Fighter ignored her question and ran back into the ring. Sayomi watched, stunned, as she jumped just in time to save Kuwabara from a fatal blow. He was caught off guard, but she kicked the mustached fighter off his feet. She quickly turned to attack the other two fighters while they were distracted. Then she skidded to a stop in front of the boys, her face fully exposed for the crowd to see.

"You idiots! Don't _hesitate!_ " She scolded the boys, but kept her eyes on their opponents. "Do you think by _losing_ you'll _save their souls?_ "

"Is that why they wouldn't fight back?" Sayomi finally realized why the boys were on the constant defense. _They feel too bad or them…_

"The Masked Fighter's _up_ at the _4-count!_ " Koto spoke into her mic in shock. "And now we _know—_ she's a _young woman!_ _Who'd have th— huh?!_ " Koto was cut off as a demon's body landed in the ring and bounced all the way into the wall behind her. " _One of Dr. Ichigaki's team has fallen from the sky—_ " Koto narrated excitedly. "— _In pieces! Awp! He's hit the wall!_ "

Sayomi noticed Dr. Ichigaki's surprised expression and she growled. "I _knew_ that troll was up to no good!"

There was a loud rumble and the ground shook as something crashed through the stands. It was a large robotic creature with long arms and a single eye. The doctor's attention grew worrisome as he turned to see the monster. Sayomi grinned when the dust settled and she spotted their missing teammates.

" _Hiei! Kurama!_ " Yusuke shouted, happy to see his team in good health.

Kurama pointed down at the dismembered corpse and said, "That pile of trash told us _everything._ To _save_ their teacher, those three humans submitted to an _experiment._ They had _no idea_ they'd be turned into killing machines."

"So _that's_ what my dream was about!" Kuwabara exclaimed in realization.

"What's more…" Kurama continued calmly. "…Ichigaki _caused_ their teacher to _fall ill_ in the first place."

" _Say…_ " Kuwabara glared ahead at the troll.

"… _What?_ " Yusuke finished, glaring and gritting his teeth.

"Gyuk gyuk..." Dr. Ichigaki stood with his hands behind his back, smirking at their angry expressions.

"He _tricked_ those three into _submitting_ to his _sick experiment!_ " Kuwabara yelled angrily as all eyes turned to the doctor. The three humans in question simply stared ahead with blank expressions.

"So what if I _did?_ " Dr. Ichigaki smirked behind his human shield outside the ring. "Enemies are enemies, whether demon or human, right? My team has _one_ purpose – to do _battle._ " He held up a stack of papers and raised a finger as he continued to taunt Team Urameshi. "So don't hold back. They are _killing machines,_ and you _should_ destroy them… if you _can._ They're the first phase of my ideal vision – and have reached the _end_ of their usefulness to me!"

" _Maggot!_ " Kuwabara growled beside Yusuke.

The Masked Fighter tied her mask cloth to cover her face again while Sayomi glared at the doctor in disgust. _He's using their anger against them. C'mon guys, don't let him bait you like this!_

" _You've said enough!_ " Yusuke yelled as he and Kuwabara charged straight for Dr. Ichigaki.

"Urameshi and Kuwabara have become _enraged_ by Ichigaki's statements!" Koto elaborated for the crowd. "They're heading _out of bounds_ to _attack_ him!"

Before they could reach him, they were cut off by the doctor's team. The mustached fighter delivered a strong kick to Yusuke's stomach while the young boy punched Kuwabara across the face. Yusuke and Kuwabara were sent skidding across the arena in the opposite direction. When they got back to their feet, all three fighters stood in front of the doctor.

"They're _defending_ that scum!" Yusuke growled through clenched teeth.

"Thanks to my _Blood-Control Nodes!_ " Dr. Ichigaki smiled and chuckled as he explained the organs on the fighters' backs. "They function as second _brains_ and _hearts – dominating_ the hosts! And they are _permanent._ Remove them, and the hosts _die!_ " He pointed up at them to taunt them. "The nodes are completely subsumed to _my_ like and will! I am what they _care_ about… I am what they _live for!_ " He cackled while the boys growled angrily.

"S-so we hafta _kill_ 'em?!" Kuwabara began to sweat nervously as he tried to think of an alternative.

"That's so low…" Sayomi clenched her fists and began to tremble with anger. "I'm disgusted to come from the same world as him."

"Don't just _stand there,_ dear boys! _Attack!_ " Dr. Ichigaki grinned as he ordered his thrall. They charged towards Kuwabara without any hesitation.

" _Kuwabara's standing his ground, facing them down!_ " Koto announced in wonder.

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke turned from his retreat to see his teammate in the direct path of their opponents.

"They'll _kill_ him!" Hiei exclaimed, stunned by the human's idiocy.

"Damn it, Kuwabara! _Move!_ " Sayomi shouted desperately.

"I _know_ what you _really_ want!" Kuwabara shouted defiantly. "You want to be _free_ of that bastard! You want your _lives back!_ "

The impact was almost deafening as blood sprayed onto the arena floor. All three of the doctor's mind slaves delivered a direct punch to Kuwabara. The teen struggled to breathe as he was sent across the field. He bounced once, making him cough up more blood. Sayomi, Yusuke, and the Masked Fighter gasped in shock at the brutality of the joint attack.

" _Kuwabara!_ " Yusuke made an angry run for his best friend's mangled body.

"Gyuk gyuk… One down." Dr. Ichigaki smirked to himself at his team's progress.

"Whatever Kuwabara was _hoping_ for _didn't happen!_ He just took a _merciless pounding!_ " Koto announced elatedly.

Sayomi glared at the troll doctor and growled under her breath. "Once this is all over, I'll _kill_ him."

"The fool is alive. Now shut up and follow me."

Sayomi turned to see Hiei standing behind her. He was missing his shirt and he kept his hands in his pockets. His headband was missing and his Evil Eye was open. Sayomi also noted the scratches and bruises covering his torso. "What happened to _you?_ "

"Did the giant beast not tip you off?" Hiei glared back at her as he made his way around the ring to join Kurama.

Sayomi sighed and scowled at the fire demon, following him to the red-head with her arms crossed. "Smartass…"

" _I'll ki—!_ " Yusuke stopped midsentence in shock, watching the doctor's team cry tears of blood.

"Kill… Kill me… Kill… Kill…"

"Kill… Me… Kill…"

"Kill… Kill… Us…"

"They just _missed_ his vital organs." The Masked Fighter spoke up from examining Kuwabara. He was covered in blood and bruises. He was barely conscious, grunting in pain from every twitch. "I've seldom seen such _precision._ They _do_ want to be free of Ichigaki, even if it means their _deaths._ "

"Gyuk gyuk!" Dr. Ichigaki laughed. "This is the most _fascinating fieldwork_ I've ever _conducted!_ I'll have to thoroughly _revise_ my estimate of what it takes to gain total control of the _human mind!_ "

"That so?!" Yusuke trembled, his aura flaring up with his rage. His knuckles popped as he clenched his fists at his sides. "If you did to _me_ what you've done to _them,_ _I'd_ want someone to kill me, too!"

In an instant, Yusuke was knocking down the mustached fighter with a strong right hook. The fighter was sent sliding back across the ring.

" _Huh?!_ " Dr. Ichigaki's grin fell as he saw Yusuke take down one of his fighters. Even Koto was speechless by the display.

The scarred fighter dashed forward with his raised right hand. His aura manifested into a giant claw. Yusuke jumped back as the attack made a crater where he was just standing. Then, he quickly leaned back, avoiding his opponent's follow-up swipe.

" _Incredible!_ " Koto exclaimed from just outside the ring. "The tables have _turned!_ Urameshi's getting the _best_ of Team Ichigaki!"

"What's going _on_ here?" Dr. Ichigaki pulled out a calculator from his pocket and began to punch in some numbers. "This _wasn't_ in my calculations. I'll have to input Urameshi's _new_ power values and _recalculate_ my team's chances."

His face became grim when he saw 52.725% appear on his calculator.

"What's the matter? Can't do it in your _head?_ "

" _Urk!_ " Dr. Ichigaki jumped at the voice and turned to see who was behind him. Hiei, Kurama, and Sayomi blocked him from making a hasty retreat.

"Nice idea, a by-the-book psychological attack…" Kurama commented casually with his hands in his pockets. He was just as beat up as Hiei. "…But there's just no calculating what will rally the human spirit."

"I hope you're ready to do your share of the fight once this match is over." Sayomi glared at the doctor, shifting her shadow threateningly.

" _Argh!_ Grr!" Dr. Ichigaki growled and pointed at his team, angrily shouting orders. " _No! I can't be wrong! Do it, boys! Kill them now!_ "

The three boys ran ahead at full speed, unable to disobey the command. Yusuke charged up his aura from his right arm. Sayomi gasped quietly to herself when she realized his aura was returning in the heat of the battle.

Just as the mustached fighter pulled back his arms to swing an aura staff. As he swung it forward, it extended in length. Yusuke jumped up into the air and kicked it to the side. The misdirection was enough to knock the man off balance.

" _Sorry to have to do this, guys!_ " Yusuke aimed his Reigun, charging it with his recovered aura. " _Wait for me! I'll make it up to you in the Underworld!_ "

He froze when a hand clasped firmly to his arm. He turned to see the Masked Fighter holding him back from attacking. "No… Don't fire." The doctor's team regrouped on their side of the ring, gathering their aura to attack. Yusuke and the Masked Fighter landed in front of them. The Masked Fighter got into a fighting stance and said, "They must face _me_ now!"

Dr. Ichigaki watched the ring hopefully when he saw Yusuke hold pull back his shot.

"Don't move a muscle, you damn troll." Sayomi growled, reaching behind her back and holding it there. "Rules or no rules, I'll cut you down if you try anything."

The doctor flinched at the dangerous tone of her voice. She glared down at him, her gray eyes getting darker with her rising anger.

"The Masked Fighter's restored her headdress, and _waved Urameshi off!_ " Koto narrated, confused by the Masked Fighter's actions. "Now she's stepping forward to face their three foes _alone!_ "

Sayomi, Yusuke, and Dr. Ichigaki watched her curiously. Kuwabara was unconscious in the ring. He was disqualified from the match due to a 10-count knockout. Kurama and Hiei watched the match impassively, patiently waiting for the end.

"Ha ha ha…" Dr. Ichigaki laughed and pointed at the Masked Fighter. "What a _farce!_ She has _qualms_ about _killing humans,_ especially _innocent_ ones! Go! Stomp her out of existence!"

The three humans rushed forward wielding their aura weapons: an aura rod, aura rings, and a condensed aura bomb.

The Masked Fighter held up both hands. Her right hand was held up at face level while the other was angled towards her wrist. Her thumbs, pointers and middle fingers were extended. The ring finger and pinky on her raised hand simply folded over at a flat ninety degree angle with her palm. The ring finger and pinky on her angled hand curled closed. She began chanting in an old language and her aura began to flare and twist around her arms and hands. " _Kaaah!_ "

"Shee! Check out that energy level!" Yusuke yelled in shock at the display.

"This could be a _big moment!_ " Koto yelled with anticipation.

"She's bluffing!" Dr. Ichigaki gritted his teeth and broke out in a light sweat.

"They're closing in fast!" Sayomi watched with wide eyes, silently pleading for the Masked Fighter to move.

Just before the doctor's team reached her, she broke the connection where her fingers touched her wrist and there was a sudden burst of light. The brightness was just enough to stun the three fighters for a brief moment. The Masked Fighter quickly pierced each opponent's heart with the pointer and middle finger of her right hand, ending with a couple more chants. Once the light died out, the nodes on their backs burst with blood and the three fighters fell back to the stadium floor.

Sayomi, Yusuke, and the rest of the demon crowd was stunned to silence.

"Im… possible! She…" Dr. Ichigaki trembled in fear and disbelief. " _Killed_ all three – in _one_ attack!"

"She really killed them?" Sayomi couldn't believe her eyes. _Does she really not care? Then again, did she really have another choice? But if not, then why did she stop Yusuke?_

"Too weird! She _snuffed_ 'em, just like that!" Yusuke whispered in shock. He was sweating and his fist was clenched tightly at his side. "No hesitation, just… _boom!_ "

"Team Ichigaki is _down – en masse!_ Starting the count!" Koto jumped onto the ring and ran to the center to start counting.

"Ulp…" Dr. Ichigaki perspired more as Koto's count continued.

"10!" Koto finished and swung her arm to point at Yusuke and the Masked Fighter. "The winner – Team Urameshi! They'll now advance to the _second round!_ "

"The _way_ we won…" Yusuke clenched his teeth angrily and made his way across the ring. "…Makes this one sour, _ugly_ victory. And _you're_ responsible!" He stopped in front of Dr. Ichigaki, boxing him in from the ring.

"Er…" Dr. Ichigaki frantically looked around at Hiei, Kurama, and Sayomi who surrounded him from all other sides. He looked up at Yusuke and desperately held up his hand to stop him. " _H-hold it!_ If you _kill me,_ their _mentor_ dies, too! Only _I_ know where he is, and how to _cure_ him!"

"Oh – so?" Kurama casually pointed to the side with his arms crossed.

The doctor reluctantly looked over his shoulder and gasped. " _Huh?!_ "

The Masked Fighter stood next to an old man dressed in martial arts gi. He used his hand to hold himself steady against the stadium wall. His graying hair was combed over and he had some stubble on his chin from lack of grooming. He shook as he slowly made his way forward along the wall. "You snake…"

"No… _How…?_ " Dr. Ichigaki's face twitched as his plan fell to shambles before his eyes.

"Your assistant… was _persuaded_ to assist _us._ " Hiei explained vaguely. "And Kurama had _no_ _trouble_ diagnosing and treating the illness."

"You need to use more _potent_ botanical poisons." Kurama advised calmly.

"You know, for a doctor, you don't seem be to be very good at your field." Sayomi observed with her arms crossed.

"Grrrr…" Dr. Ichigaki growled and shifted his glare between Kurama and Sayomi hatefully.

"Enough talk. Time for you to _pay!_ " Yusuke glared at the troll with murder in his eyes.

"Heh heh heh…" Dr. Ichigaki began chuckling to himself. Then, he laughed out loud as he pulled a full syringe from his coat pocket. He immediately injected himself with the contents. " _Ha ha ha!_ You squirming maggots _think_ you can kill _me?!_ No chance! My genius vastly exceeds your meager skills!"

"Ah, crap." Sayomi muttered.

" _Ha ha haah!_ " The troll began to turn green and grow too large for his lab clothing. Horns grew on the top of his head and his teeth became long and sharp. "My _monster solution_ makes me your _foe of all foes!_ " He glared down at Yusuke and lunged for him. "Now… Die!"

With a single right, overhanded cross, Yusuke punched the troll into the stands. The impact created a large crater where the demon doctor's remains were scattered. "You were _sayin'_ , lame brain?"

"Ichigaki's been _pulverized!_ " Koto exclaimed, shattering the stunned silence in the stadium. "Even _this_ demanding and hostile crowd is _impressed!_ "

Sayomi clicked her tongue and said, "Good riddance."

"Unh…!" Sayomi turned to see the old Master staring at his students in grief. "I'm grateful that… _justice_ is served… but also _aggrieved!_ En… Ryo… Kai… all _dead,_ while _I live!_ It is… _wrong!_ "

"Not so, sir."

Sayomi, Yusuke, and Kurama looked over at the Masked Fighter, filled with disbelief and hope.

"You mean…" Yusuke stepped forward, trying to understand his teammate's words. "…You mean they're… _Alive?!_ "

"G-gone…" Sayomi looked over to the ring to see the three boys sitting up, checking their backs for the mind controlling organs.

"Th-they're _getting up!_ " The old Master watched in awe and he tried to make his way to his students. "Thank God… It's _true!_ They're _alive!_ "

Sayomi looked at the Masked Fighter in admiration. _She killed the blood nodes… I wonder how much aura that took out of her._

"En! Ryo! Kai!" The old man reached out for his students.

"M-Master!" The scarred fighter exclaimed in shock. Then all three students turned away in shame. "Please, stay away!"

The old man stopped short, letting them speak. "We've _dishonored_ you. Committed _horrible crimes!_ Our sin, our shame, is… _intolerable!_ " They clenched their fists and trembled as they tried to distance themselves. "Death… is the _least_ we should suffer."

"That… _That's lunacy!_ " The old Master shouted, causing his students to freeze at his tone.

"Let me say something." The Masked Fighter walked up to the group with her hands clasped behind her back. "My move was one of the _Five Major Fists,_ a pinnacle of discipline. Its purpose is to force the soul to _judge_ its own sins and pass _sentence_ on its manifest form. If a soul is corrupt, its flesh will be destroyed. But if the soul is pure, the evil in the flesh will be purged. Your souls _defied_ those nodes from first to last. I merely gave your souls the power to _act_ on that defiance!"

Sayomi smiled at the Masked Fighter from the sides. _Genkai or not, I'm glad she didn't have to kill them._

 _They may have been weak enough to be controlled, but at least they were strong enough in the mind._

 _Shut up, Hiei._ Sayomi couldn't bring herself to seriously scold the fire demon. _There's no need to ruin a good moment._

"En, Ryo, Kai…" The old Master stood his ground and spoke firmly. "I never doubted you… I knew that, though your bodies were enslaved, your souls… your _hearts,_ were _incorruptible._ You… make me proud! Now…" His students listened silently, his words striking their very core. His voice trembled as tears began to flow freely down his cheeks. "Will you please turn around? I may be _cured,_ but… Heh… I'm still about _dead on my feet!_ "

His students quivered in silence before turning to reach for their teacher.

"Master…!" The students helped their master to his knees. They huddled close together, crying in relief and joy to be free of the nightmare.

Everyone turned away, giving them privacy. No one wanted to intrude on the family's reunion.


	21. Chapter 21

"After this dramatic and _unexpected_ denouement, _Team Urameshi_ advances to _Round 2!_ " The stadium speakers blared with an announcement from the committee's office. "However, it seems that _one_ of their members, Kuwabara, may be _out for the duration!_ "

"'Unexpected' my ass. I thought that _was_ Round 2." Sayomi glared up at the announcement speakers, then watched as a medical tent was set up off to the side of the ring. "That's new. Why wasn't there a tent for the _other_ matches?"

Back in the ring, Yusuke was gathering Kuwabara's unconscious body.

"Here, let me help…" The scarred fighter from Ichigaki's Team, Ryo, kneeled beside Yusuke to help with Kuwabara.

"Thanks." Yusuke smiled, welcoming the offer.

" _We_ did this… please, let me _make it up_ to you!" Ryo clenched his fist, pleading for Yusuke's consent. "Allow _me_ to take _his place_ on your team!"

"I'd be _happy_ to, but… no." Yusuke answered.

"Huh?" Ryo gasped.

Yusuke grinned and pointed to Kuwabara's battered form hanging from his shoulder. "You don't _know_ Kuwabara. He'd _bust my butt_ if I allowed it. Not to mention a certain _demoness_ who already called dibs on the alternate position."

Ryo listened, respecting Yusuke's loyalty and reasoning. They carefully moved Kuwabara to the side of the ring. "Anyway," Yusuke continued. "The tourney rules state we can't use an alternate unless a team member _dies._ "

"I see…" Ryo accepted Yusuke's decline and made his way back to his teacher's side.

"Those _humans_ keep _winning!_ "

"One of 'em's gotta die! _Now!_ "

" _Quiet, everyone! Settle down!_ " Koto tried to keep the peace as the crowd rioted in the stands. "The _second round matches_ are on the board!"

All eyes looked to the board to see who was next to fight. Sayomi's eyes narrowed and darkened. _Why does this not surprise me?_

What…?" Kurama asked, confused.

" _Team Urameshi will face the Shadow Channelers!_ " Koto announced to the crowd's delight.

"Right now?!" Yusuke growled angrily. He marched up to Koto and glared her down, invading her personal space. "I was _never told_ we'd go _straight on!_ "

"I know, I'm _sorry!_ " Koto frantically apologized. "I'm just the announcer, and _these_ are my _directions!_ "

"Awright! Now we're _talkin'!_ "

"Kill 'em!"

"Fight 'em! Trounce 'em! _Torture 'em!_ "

"Kill 'em!"

"Kill!"

Sayomi growled and glared up at the stands. _I'm getting real sick of their moronic chanting. Everyone is worn out already and I'm no good to them unless I heal everyone, but that will wear me out before too long._

"You call this a _tournament?!_ " Yusuke glared at the stands, gritting his teeth. "Feh! It's just a _grinder,_ and _we're the meat!_ Well, bring it on!"

Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei stood in the ring, defiant against the crowd's "kill," chant. Meanwhile, Sayomi made her way to Kuwabara to start working on his wounds. He was almost as bad as his encounter with Rando. He was covered in scrapes and bruises and his clothes were torn and stained with blood. _It's a miracle he's still alive after that kind of beating._

"Entering the arena – the _Shadow Channelers!_ " Koto introduced the new team as a whirlwind blew through the ring. Once the dust settled, five figures were revealed in cloaks. Each fighter varied in height and each cloak hood had a different shape or pattern to distinguish them.

"'Shadow Channelers'?" Sayomi wondered out loud. "Are they shadow demons?"

"Our _new_ opponents, huh?" Yusuke muttered to himself. "Show-offs."

" _Team leaders come forward!_ " Koto beckoned to each team.

"Kuwabara's definitely out while Sayomi takes care of him, so it's down to the _four_ of us." Yusuke informed his team as he made his way to the center.

 _Make that three…_ Sayomi glanced at the worn team. _While Hiei and Kurama still seem able, the Masked Fighter used a lot of aura in that last match._

"Who wants to do the honors?" A member from the Shadow Channelers asked.

Sayomi raised an eyebrow. _Did they_ not _already decide on their captain?_

There was another cyclone and a cloak flew off with the wind. The fighter underneath had a mess of red hair and bright blue eyes. A single horn poked through his red mane and his smile seemed somewhat playful. He wore baggy white pants with two strips of white cloth crossing over his bare torso. His forearms, ankles and feet were wrapped in bandages. "Ah'll step up."

"It's Jin! The Wind Master!" Koto introduced the mysterious fighter.

"It's _Jin,_ all right!" Kurama recognized the other red-head. "That means they're…"

"Yeah? Go on!" Yusuke urged, curious about the new team.

"They're _famous,_ and rightly so." Kurama informed the ignorant detective. "'Shadow Channelers' is just a guise to throw everyone off. They're _actually_ ninja demons, covert lurkers who maneuver in the shadows of the power struggles between demons. They live in and for carnage, and are greatly feared."

"I see. So they're _not_ shadow demons, after all." Sayomi muttered under her breath. She couldn't decide if she was relieved or disappointed.

"Were you expecting Yasuhiro to show up?"

Sayomi looked over to her left and glared at Hiei. She took a slow breath before answering. "Not really, but you never know. He said he would wait until _after_ the tournament."

"Were you hoping to see him _sooner?_ " Hiei kept his eyes on the cloaked figures on the other side of the ring.

"I won't deny that the feeling was there, but I'm actually glad that isn't the case." She shifted her glare to follow Hiei's line of sight. "If he _was_ here, I would want to be the one to fight him."

Back in the ring, Yusuke and Jin met at the center, in front of Koto. "Please determine the format of battle!"

Jin looked down at Yusuke, smiling with one of his pointed teeth poking out. Yusuke looked up at the demon and blinked. He couldn't decide how to judge the red-head since his smile threw him off.

"One-on-one elimination until one team _runs out_ of _members!_ " Jin suggested eagerly.

"Suits me!" Yusuke agreed, annoyed with the committee's manipulation.

"The teams have chosen _one-on-one elimination!_ " Koto informed the cheering crowd.

Yusuke and Jin turned to walk back to their teams. Before taking two steps, Jin muttered quietly to Yusuke, "Yah, bring a _hale breeze_ wit' yah."

Yusuke stopped short and watched the red-head in confusion. Once Yusuke made it back to his team, there was a brief moment of static coming from the stadium speakers.

"As scheduling has _compelled_ Team Urameshi to fight _two rounds in a row, Management_ has ordered that a _medical check_ be conducted on the participants. Please stand by."

"A _medical_ check?" Yusuke wondered out loud.

"That tent?" Sayomi looked back at the medical tent she had noticed before. _So_ that's _why they brought that out now? I don't know. That's too nice of them._

"This is _bogus! Start the fight!_ "

"We want _blood!_ "

Sayomi's glare darkened when she noticed a voluptuous red-head walking towards her teammates.

Her hair flowed down to her waist and veiled her left eye. Her exposed eye was a deep blue. She wore a typical white nurse outfit that exposed her long legs. With a swish of her hand, she quieted the crowd so she could address the wounded fighters. Then she pointed and said, "You and you… come with me, please."

Sayomi felt her body tense when she pointed out Hiei and the Masked Fighter. _Huh? What about Kuwabara and the others?_

"Why us?" Hiei asked bluntly. " _Kuwabara's_ the one who needs attention."

The nurse glanced over at Kuwabara and Sayomi before sliding her gaze back to Hiei. "That's for _me_ to decide."

Sayomi felt her aura begin to fluctuate around her and she began to focus on her breathing. _Someone needs to show her a thing or two about treating wounds. And I'll be more than willing to give her a lesson._

 _If you don't calm down, you'll be no better than them._ Hiei warned telepathically.

 _I just don't trust her sense of judgement is all._ Sayomi turned away from him and resumed healing the rejected patient.

"Get _on_ with it!"

"They'll die _anyway!_ "

"Any aches or pains?" The nurse asked, looking down at her clipboard and ignoring the ruckus. Hiei and the Masked Fighter had followed her to the tent. "Nausea? Headache, perhaps?"

"Is this a _joke?_ " Hiei asked with an amused smirk.

The nurse smiled and stared at Hiei. Her voice dropped an octave and became huskier. "This is no _joke,_ believe me. You _both_ need some _rest._ "

"Go _medicate_ yourself." Hiei began to make his way out from under the tent. Just as his foot was about to cross the threshold, a wall of electricity erupted around the tent.

" _What the heck's that?!_ " Yusuke yelled.

"A force field," Kurama answered.

"Courtesy of me, Luka, the _finest force field specialist_ in the Demon Plane." Luka stripped out of the nurse outfit and exposed green cords wrapping around her chest, crotch, arms and thighs. She kept the nurse hat on her head. "You two _must_ stay here now. You'll be fit… once Round Two is over."

"A curse-binding cord! Dangerous to even move in there." Kurama cautioned, recognizing the enchantress's methods.

"I _knew_ that tent looked sketchy!" Sayomi growled angrily. She settled Kuwabara to sit up against the stadium wall, then ran to the tent to confront the "nurse". "Yusuke, watch him for me! Make sure he doesn't die!"

"Isn't that _you're_ job?!" Yusuke shouted, annoyed with being left to babysit his beaten friend.

"Hiei and the Masked Fighter have been declared _medically unfit_ to fight!" The speaker's in the stadium blared. "They will be _restricted to the sidelines_ until given _a clean bill of health!_ "

"What the – " Yusuke growled, growing angrier with the committee with every scheme.

"That's not _fair!_ " Ryo clenched his fist, unable to do more than watch beside his family.

Yusuke marched back into the ring and pointed an accusing finger at Koto. "This is _nothin'_ but a _dirty ruse!_ What're you tryin' t' _pull?!_ "

Koto panicked and tried to defend herself. "I'm _just_ the _emcee!_ These things are _entirely_ out of my hands!"

"Hey, Red!" Sayomi called out angrily when she reached the tent.

Luka turned to Sayomi and turned up her nose, looking down at the shadow demoness. "Well, if it isn't little Ms. Alternate. You're in no need of medical attention."

"Drop your force field and I'll only beat you _half_ to death." Sayomi threatened with a deadly calm that she didn't feel on the inside.

"Stand down, Sayomi."

"Huh?" Sayomi turned to the Masked Fighter, confused with her order.

"All she can do is detain us. We're in no immediate danger." The Masked Fighter slid her gaze to the red-head and said, "I suspect she only chose us because we were all she could handle in our weakened states."

"You're not _wrong,_ " Luka agreed. "With only two capable fighters against five, it won't be long before all of you are dead."

"Did you already forget, Red?" Sayomi smirked at the medical imposter. Her eyes were almost black as she locked eyes with Luka. "If even _one_ of them dies in that ring, _I'll_ be free to step in and finish them off. Then I'll be coming for _you._ "

Luka glared down at Sayomi hatefully, stepping back from the demoness.

"Heh… Three against five." The tallest fighter with five small dots across his hood chuckled. "Nothing _you_ can't take care of… eh, Jin?"

Jin stared at the ring with a bored expression. Then he turned away and began to clean out his ear with his pinky. "Sure, Ah suppose, but ah've decided t' _sit_ this one out."

" _What?!_ " The tall cloaked fighter growled and clasped a large, dark hand on Jin's shoulder. "No _way,_ Jin! Get _out there_ and _take 'em!_ "

Jin gripped his teammate's wrist so tight the bones began to pop. He glared over his shoulder and spoke in a low, dangerous growl of his own. "You know _better'n_ that."

"Hmph!" The cloaked fighter stood down and watched as Jin made his way to the stadium wall. Jin simply sat down and leaned back, clasping his hands behind his head as he closed his eyes and whistled a tune.

"Heh…" Another cloaked teammate chuckled lightly. There was a cross on his hood to tell him apart. "Jin's recognized a _worthy_ adversary, and wants to be _sporting._ "

"Well, then… Guess _I'll_ go." The cloaked figure with a single circle on his hood raised a pale hand to remove his cloak. Under the wardrobe was a skinny, gray-skinned demon with narrow features and tapered ears. A colorful bandanna covered his head and a brown loincloth covered his crotch. Bandages covered his lower legs and feet. Two weapon sheaths hung at his left hip that looked like two daggers.

" _Gama, Master of Ritual Adornment!_ " Koto introduced the first fighter for the Shadow Channelers.

"Ritual Adornment?" Sayomi could only wonder what this demon's powers were. _So he does rituals?_

"Kurama?" Yusuke stood back as his red-headed teammate stepped up to take the first match.

"I'd like to think I could take them _all…_ " Kurama informed Yusuke. "…But I get the feeling that's _not_ in the cards. I'll engage them, get them to reveal their _strategies._ The _rest_ may be up to _you._ "

Yusuke could only stand back and watch his friend step into the ring.

Sayomi watched Kurama worriedly. _Be careful, Kurama._

" _And now… Kurama vs. Gama! Begin!_ "

Gama reached for his weapons and unsheathed two large paint-brushes, tipped with purple ink. Kurama observed his opponent carefully, watching as the ninja began to paint himself.

"I use _ritual body art_ known for its _potent magic._ " Gama explained as he painted his lips and over his eyelids. "Humans use it in religious ceremonies and, as cosmetics, in daily life. But I'll show you much _more_ than that! Wait until you see my _special…_ " He finished painting symbols around his arms and his chest. His demonic aura began fluctuating once he finished his ritual. " _Hrrrunnn… War Paint!_ "

" _Gama has adorned his entire body with ritual patterns!_ " Koto announced for the benefit of the viewers at home. " _And they seem to be boosting his demonic aura!_ "

" _Hiyaah!_ " Gama dashed forward, raising his fist to attack. Kurama jumped out of the way as Gama's fist made a crater in the ring. Gama quickly followed through with punch after punch, unable to land a hit on the evasive red-head.

" _Gama's not letting up! It's all Kurama can do to avoid getting clobbered!_ " Koto narrated enthusiastically.

"Kurama's problem is that he has to figure out an enemy first." Hiei explained to the Masked Fighter and Sayomi. His expression looked troubled by the red-head's strategy. _With someone_ this _fast, though, there's little time for that._

 _Well, it's not as though he has much choice in the matter._ Sayomi had seen Kurama in tight spots before. He could make it out of this one too.

"See what you've _taken on?!_ " Gama taunted. "Let's get this _over_ with!" Gama threw two rapid punches, causing Kurama to jump back and land awkwardly on his right hand and foot.

"Hah!" Gama quickly drew out his paint-brushes and swiped at Kurama. By the time Kurama dodged and landed across the ring, there was a figure-eight pattern painted around his left leg.

"Eh?! My leg…!" Kurama looked down in shock, unable to lift his leg.

"Heh heh…" Gama laughed. "Feels like it's made of _lead,_ doesn't it? Harder to _move_ now, huh?!" Gama chased after Kurama, who was forced to drag his heavy leg as he tried to escape. "My art can also cause damage!"

"Gama's just _demonstrated_ an _artful curse!_ " Koto narrated. "By the _looks_ of it, he's got Kurama _on the ropes!_ "

"Gama's _ink_ seeps through clothing and adheres to the skin, forming a _receiver for the curses!_ Once marked, the victim's _trapped!_ " The hood with the cross explained for the benefit of the others.

" _Haah!_ " Gama was quickly able to paint identical symbols around Kurama's other leg and both of his arms. "I've got you now! _Shackle Paint!_ "

Gama grinned sadistically, giving off the impression of an evil jester. "I've just robbed your limbs of _all movement!_ It's like having _70 KG [154 LB] weights_ locked on _each arm and leg!_ "

"Unh!" Kurama glared at Gama, unable to move freely.

"How's it _feel_ carrying the weight of _four men?!_ " Gama asked, jumping around the ring. He circled around Kurama, taunting his trapped prey. "Hard to wield your much-vaunted weapons _now!_ "

"It's just gone from _bad to worse_ for Kurama!" Koto announced, reading into the dilemma. "I'd say the _game's over,_ folks!"

"Heh… Not bothering to struggle? Resigned to your fate?" Gama smirked, victory within his grasp. He charged Kurama head-on, reaching out with a clawed hand. " _Then the match is mine!_ "

Just as Gama was closing in, Kurama pivoted on his foot and cut Gama several times with the weapon twisted in his hair. Gama coughed blood as he stared in shock at Kurama. "What? I'm _hit!_ "

"I'm not limited…" Kurama glared at the bleeding demon over his shoulder, letting the Rose Whip settle around him. "…To what my arms and legs can do in a fight!"

" _What an incredible reversal!_ " Koto yelled in shock. "Kurama's _nailed_ Gama with a _hair-borne whip!_ "

"Yeah! You got him, Kurama!" Sayomi cheered. _I'm glad he made it through the match okay._

"Gluh…" Gama bled onto the stadium ring, losing strength as quickly as he lost blood. "…I was too _hasty._ I should've locked you down _completely,_ however _long_ it took."

"Don't waste your breath – or _strength_ – talking." Kurama advised the demon as his Rose Whip receded back into his hair. "Release your curses and use the energy to _heal_ yourself."

"Heh heh… You think… it's over?" Gama trembled as he made his way closer to Kurama. His breathing became strained as blood spilled from his mouth. " _I don't!_ "

"Even cursed, I'm intact. You're not." Kurama reasoned. "Heal yourself. Your skills are worth preserving."

" _You honor me!_ " Gama yelled as he ran towards Kurama. He threw a fist, his blood splattering on Kurama as he weaved out of range. " _Aagh!_ " Gama coughed again, causing his wounds to pump out more blood.

" _Stop!_ " Kurama warned. "If you keep _moving,_ you'll _die!_ "

"Huff! Huff! Huff!" Gama continued to swing empty punches at Kurama. All the red-head needed to do was step back to keep out of reach.

"Huff!" The momentum from a missed punch was enough to sever Gama's right arm. The blood loss was enough to make the warrior lose the strength to stand. He landed face-down on the ring, blood painting the tiles beneath him.

" _Gama's down! Starting the count!_ " Koto declared. " _1!_ "

"Not that it matters…" Kurama muttered to himself, disappointed with his opponent's choice.

" _2! 3!_ "

"Heh heh…" Kurama snapped his attention to the fallen ninja. "Heh heh heh…"

" _4! 5!_ "

"Heh heh heh heh…" Gama chuckled and glared up at Kurama. "It's done…"

"What?" Kurama asked, curious about Gama's words.

Gama weakly pointed at the red-head. " _I'm_ not limited to what my _paint-brushes_ can do! _Blood spatters_ do just as well! My ink, in fact, _is_ my blood!"

Kurama gasped and looked down to see more paint symbols covering his torso and limbs. His eyes widened when he belatedly noticed that Gama's blood matched the hue of his ink.

"Y'see, I figured defeating you _might_ cost me _my life._ " Gama confessed, smirking at Kurama. "My… ink… has completely _bound up_ your demonic aura! It's the way of the shinobi… Give _all_ for the _team!_ My aura will _linger_ for 10 minutes after my death. Your _next_ opponent, however… won't wait…" Gama slowly rested his hand and head, his body shutting down completely.

" _10!_ " Koto finished her count.

"Uh-oh…" Kurama realized how much trouble he was in.

" _Next contestant, step forward!_ "

"Well done, Gama. Ten minutes will suffice to _avenge_ you." The fighter with the cross on his hood discarded the large robes. The fighter had pale skin and ice-blue eyes. His hair was light blue and combed back with sharp green bangs hanging over his left eye. He wore a black sleeveless shirt with a long-sleeve fishnet shirt underneath. A white cloth was held up to his left shoulder and wrapped around his torso and waist. His pants were loose and light blue and he wore the same footwear as his teammates.

"I appear to be in _deep trouble_ here." Kurama muttered to himself. "I got _careless,_ and let Gama put me right where he _wanted_ me!"

" _Next up, Toya the Ice Master!_ " Koto introduced Kurama's next opponent.

"Your death won't be _wasted,_ Gama." Toya watched Kurama with deadly eyes. "I _will_ destroy him."

"No way they'll _escape_ after they're defeated."

"The _least_ they can expect is a _lynching!_ "

"They won't leave this arena _alive!_ "

Kurama could only stand and wait as Toya made his way into the ring. As soon as he was within easy hearing range, Kurama addressed the ninja. "Tell me something… What are you, the most _powerful_ of the shinobi, doing _here?_ "

At first Toya didn't answer. He just stared at Kurama, his expression giving nothing away. "Seeking light. We've lived in the most distant shadows of the Dark World, a realm devoid of illumination. At last we realized… We have the power to leave, to live where we like, and establish a _domain_ where no one else dwells. This _island_ is such a place. However, having _emerged_ into the light, we intend to _become_ the light, and _spread_ ourselves over the _entire world._ "

"Geez…" Sayomi scowled at the ice ninja. "Arrogant much? And what does he mean by the _Dark World?_ Does he mean the Void?"

"A ninja _revolt,_ then." The Masked Fighter concluded.

"Hmmph!" Hiei scoffed at their attitude. He was sitting on the table with his arms and legs crossed. He uncrossed his arms and legs and leaned forward, resting his arms on his lap. "When perilous missions loom, demon ninjas pass their techniques down to their star pupils, so their 'schools' won't die out. After a string of such requests, the 'schools' fall into the hands of 'unconventional' thinkers."

Sayomi turned from Hiei to the ring, watching Toya and the others behind him. _So, they're just a bunch of rebellious students?_

 _That's what we have here, from the looks of it._ Hiei answered in her mind. _The problem before us is how to defeat them. Seiryu, the ice demon I defeated, doesn't hold a candle to Toya. Of the ice demons,_ Toya holds top rank.

 _Always the epitome of optimism, Hiei._ Sayomi thought sarcastically, earning her a glare from the fire apparition.

"Enough. We waste time…" Toya declared, clenching his fists. "…Time Gama gave his life to _grant_ me."

" _Begin!_ " Koto announced with a sweep of her arm.

"You're smart, Kurama… and demonstrably fatal to anyone who gets _careless._ " Toya immediately began to focus his aura into his hands. The temperature dropped and ice clustered to form small spheres of frozen crystal. "I won't make the mistake of presuming you're _entirely helpless…_ " He raised his hand to present his ammunition. "So I'll adopt the _sniper_ approach."

Toya gently blew into his hand, using his aura to shoot the small crystals at Kurama. " _Evil Flute Hailstorm!_ "

Kurama was still shackled by the weight from Gama's first curse, so he couldn't make a clean escape. He dropped down to his left hand, hoping to avoid the majority of the frozen bullets.

" _Aagh!_ " Kurama was still struck with some of the ice shards. They cut into his skin and the cold temperature shocked his nervous system.

Kurama was still recovering from the first assault when Toya dashed around and blew another handful of shards. Fortunately, Gama's first curse timed out, giving Kurama the speed he needed to flip and avoid the attack.

"Yes! He can move again!" Sayomi cheered in relief.

"Maybe, but his aura is still sealed." Hiei reminded the optimistic demoness.

"It's more than he had a second ago." Sayomi countered.

"Unf!" Kurama was caught by another onslaught of ice bullets. Sayomi cringed as he continued to bleed out from his older injuries.

"Wait…" Kurama looked down to see his hand covered in his own blood. "…This ink is Gama's _blood,_ so…" As he ran, Kurama began to wipe at Gama's blood curse with his own blood.

Toya watched the red-head curiously before he caught on and smirked. "Heh… Washing _blood with blood_ … very good…"

Kurama stopped running so he could wipe the blood over his arms and chest. Toya calmly walked closer, a cluster of ice crystals gathering in his hand for another attack. Kurama gritted his teeth when he realized his aura wasn't returning. "Arr…"

"…But _useless._ " Toya enlightened with finality. "Gama has that angle covered. You remember what he _said,_ don't you?"

Toya triggered the crystals in his hand and said, "I still have _five minutes_ left! As long as his aura lingers, _you can't emit any aura yourself!_ "

" _Urgh!_ " Kurama wasn't fast enough. The projectiles hit him in the arms and left leg. Kurama was covered in scratches and scrapes that continued to bleed the more he moved. His clothes were torn and stained with his blood and Gama's.

" _Kurama's down!_ " Koto announced, about to start the count.

"Just stay down, Kurama!" Sayomi shouted pleadingly. "You'll _bleed_ to death if you keep this up!"

Ignoring her advice, Kurama staggered back to his feet. His breathing was heavy and his vision was beginning to fade in and out of focus.

"He… He's _up_ again!" Koto narrated in awe.

Toya hesitated, unable to believe his opponent's resolve. "You _are_ formidable. You've _avoided_ every _mortal blow_ I've tried to inflict."

"Kurama…!" Yusuke called out in worry as he stood guard over Kuwabara's hunched body.

Toya began to sweat nervously as he realized Kurama's strategy. "And you're considering _attack options_ this very moment."

"Tell me one more thing…" Kurama watched Toya's body language, taking advantage of his hesitation. "What do you plan to _do_ out here?"

Toya thought for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. "Not sure, really. Light was our _first_ priority."

"I see." Kurama rubbed a wound on his wrist, wincing in pain.

Toya noticed the curse beginning to wear off. He clenched his teeth and formed a sword of ice that covered his right hand and half his arm.

"Toya's summoned a _sword of ice!_ Is he _going_ for the _ultimate stroke?!_ " Koto commentated excitedly.

"This is _it!_ " Toya declared, rushing towards Kurama. "Without your aura, you have no way to _parry_ my sword!" He leaped into the air, sword raised high. " _Now suffer!_ "

The sound of pierced flesh never sounded so loud.

Sayomi, Yusuke, and Hiei were stunned to silence along with the rest of the stadium crowd. Toya stared at Kurama with wide eyes. Kurama stared back, the tip of the ice sword just centimeters from his head. At the last second, Kurama had caught the blade and stabbed Toya with vines that sprouted from his arms.

Toya blinked as he noticed Kurama's cuts. "Plants… From your _wounds!_ You _put_ the Deadly Vetch _in them?!_ "

"Yes, where my aura flows _freely._ " Kurama explained his sacrificial tactics, slowly retracting the vines from Toya. " _You_ made that option _available_ to me."

"You're… Too much…" Toya fell to his side on the ring floor, clutching his free hand around his stomach in pain.

" _Toya's down! Starting the count!_ " Koto announced, using her raised hand to count.

"Unh..." Toya relinquished his ice sword and struggled to get on his right hand and knees. His stomach continued to bleed as he tried to apply pressure with his other hand.

" _7! 8! 9! 10!_ " Koto finished her count and turned to address the victor. "Kurama's now beaten _two_ of the _Shadow Channelers!_ "

"Okay, that's _enough!_ " Yusuke shouted authoritatively. Just watching his friend go through such a brutal fight was enough to make him sweat. "Step down, Kurama! _I'll_ do the rest!"

Toya struggled to look up at Kurama. "You win…" His body trembled in pain from the fatal wound. "…Now _end_ me…"

Kurama closed his eyes and said, "No."

Toya stared at Kurama in confusion. He was supposed to die, wasn't he?

Kurama opened his eyes, struggling to maintain focus, and stared down at his misguided opponent. "After light, what will you seek? I'd like to know. Anyway, it's obvious… I'm in _worse_ shape… than you…" Kurama's body became lifeless as he closed his eyes.

" _Kurama!_ " Yusuke yelled desperately.

Sayomi felt her vision blur and she clenched her fists to fight off the unshed tears. _He can't be dead! It's only the second round!_


	22. Chapter 22

" _Kurama!_ " Yusuke yelled out to his teammate.

Kurama wasn't responding. His eyes were shut and he stood in the ring, bleeding from multiple cuts. Sprouting from the scratches on his arms was the Deadly Vetch plant.

" _Well, that took long enough!_ "

" _One down! Five to go!_ "

" _Kurama!_ " Yusuke continued to call out to the red-head. "Oh no, is _he…?!_ "

"Don't talk like that, Yusuke!" Sayomi cut him off before he could finish. She clenched her fists tightly at her side, taking deep breaths. _Kurama can't be dead…_

Koto stepped close to Kurama and noticed his soft breaths. She blinked, shocked that he was still alive. " _Kurama's still breathing!_ But he's _otherwise_ completely _out of it! He's one tough cookie!_ "

"What's that?!" Yusuke cheered, relieved to hear the good news.

Sayomi heaved a sigh in relief. "That was _close._ Now I have _two_ teammates who are on the verge of dying. At least I took care of Kuwabara's most fatal injuries."

"He still looks pitiful to me." Hiei looked over at the unconscious teen, sitting against the wall.

"The worst of it was internal. That's usually harder to take care of because I can't really _see_ what I'm doing. It takes more effort to feel your way through everything." Sayomi frowned at Kuwabara's bruised body. "Poor guy will still be hurting, but at least he won't die."

"That's it! Kurama's done!" Yusuke jerked his thumb at himself and said, "I'm comin' in!"

"Whoa…" The tallest member from the Shadow Channelers had stepped into the ring. He had dark skin that was covered in scars. He loomed over Kurama, smirking down at the incapacitated fighter. "…You stay put."

Yusuke gritted his teeth angrily. Sayomi glared at the new opponent.

"This one's still _standing,_ and _in bounds,_ so _he_ fights _me!_ " The large fighter smirked sadistically as he glared at Yusuke.

" _Fights you?!_ " Yusuke clenched his fist. "He can't even _see_ you!"

Sayomi growled low in her throat. _He's just_ begging _for a beating!_

Koto watched the exchange, stunned by the turn of events. "I…" She pointed to Yusuke and spoke into her mic. "I _call_ for a _handoff!_ "

" _What? Sez you!_ "

" _No handoff!_ "

" _No handoff! Kurama dies!_ "

" _No handoff!_ "

" _No handoff!_ "

" _No handoff!_ "

The speakers scratched as the Committee made the official announcement. " _We have a ruling from the Tournament HQ! There will be no handoff! Repeat – No handoff! Match number three – Kurama vs. Bakuken! Begin!_ '

"Grr…!" Yusuke growled angrily.

Hiei started to make his way out of the tent, his right hand in his pocket.

"Don't even _think_ it," Luka warned. She smiled down at him. "Touch my force field, and you'll regret it."

"If you harm them, it's _your_ neck on the line." Sayomi muttered coldly. She reached for her sickle and let the chain spill free. She began to slowly twirl the sickle in a hypnotizing figure-eight. "I would sleep just fine knowing I was the one to take your life."

Luka flinched at Sayomi's words and turned away, trying to ignore the dark aura the girl was emitting.

"Hear that?" Bakuken lifted Koto by the collar of her shirt. "You've been _overruled._ " He tossed her out of the ring and out of his way.

" _Crush!_ "

" _Mince!_ "

" _Pound!_ "

"Heh heh…" Bakuken laughed as he stalked towards the defenseless Kurama. He landed a strong right uppercut, knocking Kurama down.

Yusuke clenched his teeth, his eyes widening as he was forced to watch the abuse.

"Heh heh…" Bakuken licked his upper lip and said, "Makes a great punching bag. Hooph!" He followed through with a solid kick to the red-head's stomach, sending him sliding across the ring.

"Kurama is _down!_ Kurama is _down!_ " Koto announced frantically from outside the ring. "I'm starting the _count! 1! 2!_ "

Bakuken glared down at Koto, annoyed with her interference. "I'd hold off on that, Ref. Your call's a mite premature." He casually made his way to Kurama, his arms crossed.

" _7! 8!_ "

Bakuken reached for Kurama.

" _9 –_ " Koto hesitated when she saw Bakuken.

"Hey!" Yusuke protested.

Bakuken lifted Kurama by the shirt and said, "See? He's right back _up_ again. Can't keep this boy _down…_ Heh. You… rascal…

"I just _love_ a _scrappy opponent!_ " Bakuken yelled as he threw a punch.

" _Stop it, Bakuken!_ "

Bakuken froze mid-punch. He slid his eyes to stare at the last cloaked teammate. He had a diamond on the hood. "Risho! I was _about_ to – "

"Take a sickle and a _Reigun bolt,_ you idiot. Look behind you."

Bakuken turned around to see Sayomi glaring straight at him, spinning the sickle. Then he saw Yusuke, his finger already aimed and charging for a shot.

"They _will_ kill you." Risho warned. "At this point they don't care about the rules, which _you_ are willfully flouting anyway. And they care even _less_ what the _audience_ will think. So let it be. We're here to _win,_ not indulge our bloodlust."

Bakuken glared down at Risho, annoyed with having to stop his fun. "You, Toya, Gama, and Jin are _soooo_ civilized. You don't see that _winning_ means utterly _demolishing_ your opponent!" He turned and tossed Kurama out of the ring towards Yusuke. "But I _would_ like a _real fight!_ Come on up, you!"

Yusuke caught Kurama, though he tried to be mindful of the red-head's injuries. He looked down at his friend and said, "Kurama…"

Kurama was still unconscious. His face was covered in bruises and he was bleeding from his mouth and temple. His breathing was light and shallow.

Sayomi ran back to Yusuke and took Kurama from his arms. "I'll take care of him, Yusuke." She positioned Kurama to sit-up against the ring and proceeded to start working on his wounds. _This is bad. He's not dead, but he might be soon if I don't patch him up quickly._

Yusuke sent a murderous glare at Bakuken as he made his way into the ring.

"… _10!_ " Koto finished her count in relief. "Kurama's out-of-bounds! _Bakuken wins! And now – the fourth match!_ "

"Heh… That was a close one…" Hiei chuckled and smirked deviously at Luka. "… For _your_ side…"

Luka swallowed. She knew he wasn't bluffing.

In the ring, Yusuke glared at Bakuken while the ninja smirked.

" _Urameshi vs. Bakuken! Begin!_ " Koto announced.

" _Nurraaarr!_ " Bakuken yelled as he got into a horse stance. The strain of his muscles and the shout was enough to make the warrior sweat. Soon, a white mist began to emit from his body, covering the whole ring. "Heh heh heh…"

Yusuke only glared as he waited for Bakuken to make a move.

"Bakuken has created a _covering fog_ from his _sweat!_ " Koto commentated. "Phew! Urameshi won't be able to get a _bead_ on him!"

"That coward…" Sayomi muttered to herself. She healed the cuts on Kurama's legs and proceeded to his torso.

Yusuke stood still in the center of the ring. It didn't take long for Bakuken to take the chance and deliver a punch from Yusuke's left side. Yusuke didn't bother blocking and he was sent skidding across the ring. His cheek turned red from the impact, but Yusuke just wiped his hand across the blood that spilled from his mouth.

"heh heh… No clue, eh?" Bakuken taunted Yusuke from the fog. "You're just another punching bag, buddy."

"Heh… heh heh…" Yusuke smirked and began laughing to himself.

"Huh? What's _he_ laughing about?" Bakuken hesitated, thrown off by the unexpected reaction.

"Now I know…" Yusuke sobered from his laugh, and glared into the fog. "… You _didn't_ kill Kurama! Not with these _wussy_ _punches!_ "

" _Raarr!_ " Bakuken growled, enraged by the detective's insult.

"And you're a _piker_ compared to _Jin,_ ain'tcha!" Yusuke continued to downplay his opponent.

" _Wh-what?!_ " Bakuken yelled.

Yusuke kept his tone even as he continued to take jabs at Bakuken's weaknesses. "His _wind_ could blow this stinky fog away in an _instant!_ Take away your _one trick_ , and you _lose_ every advantage!"

" _Grarr! Shut yer mouth!_ " Bakuken roared, furious with Yusuke's words. "You talk _mighty big_ for someone who can only _pass_ wind! _I'll crush your puny skull!_ " Bakuken got behind Yusuke, pulling back his arm to punch Yusuke.

At the last moment, Yusuke shot his Reigun directly down at the ring floor. The blast was enough to create a small crater, sending debris scattering throughout the stadium. The fog cleared away along with the rubble, exposing Bakuken.

" _Umph!_ " Bakuken held up his arms to shield his face from the blast and the rocks. When he lowered his arms, he was stumped. "Huh?! _That blast blew away my fog!_ And… _Where'd he go?!_ "

"Here's a prediction…" Yusuke spoke up behind Bakuken, spinning his arm in large circles. Then he glared and pulled back his arm. "…I'll wrap this up in a two-page spread!" The punch blew through Bakuken's ribs, breaking a couple on impact.

"Gah!" Bakuken skidded back, clutching at his ribs in pain. He was struggling to breathe and he broke out in a heavy sweat. He stared at Yusuke, terrified of the detective. " _Wheeze! Wheeze!_ Hack… M-my _ribs_ … _!_ "

"Heh…" Yusuke stared at Bakuken without pity or remorse. "Better cook up some _fog,_ pal."

" _Hold on!_ " Bakuken held out a hand to stop Yusuke. His voice shrilled as he begged for mercy. " _You busted my ribs! I can't fight with busted ribs!_ "

"Really?" Yusuke asked coldly. "You're still _standing,_ ain'tcha?"

Bakuken began to panic as his own words were used against him. He scratched the back of his head, hoping to get out of his situation. "Well… Heh… Look, I was just… I mean, it was…"

Yusuke sighed and smirked with his eyes closed. Then he glared at Bakuken and charged another punch. " _Your own idea of an able fighter! And it sounds good to me!_ "

Yusuke delivered four consecutive punches along Bakuken's left thigh, hip, side chest, and just under his jaw. The force was strong enough to send Bakuken crashing through the stadium wall next to Jin. Jin smirked, his ears sticking out in points.

"Bakuken's out of bounds! _Starting the count!_ " Koto announced immediately.

Yusuke turned to walk back to his side of the ring as Koto counted.

" _4! 5!_ "

Yusuke ignored her. He had to make sure that his friend was okay.

" _10! Urameshi wins!_ " Koto announced. She stopped short when she noticed his retreating figure. "Eh?"

"Kurama…" Yusuke kept his voice calm as he made his way down the three steps.

Sayomi looked up at Yusuke briefly before moving to patch up Kurama's bruised face. The sensation was enough to rouse Kurama from his sleep. Sayomi smiled and dropped her hands so she could take a break. She had broken into a light sweat from healing so many wounds. "Sorry I couldn't heal your arms… I'm not sure how deep the roots are in your system."

"Thank you, Sayomi…" Kurama smiled at her before looking down to see the vines still in his arms. "I'd… hoped to beat _three_ of them myself…"

"You okay, though?" Yusuke asked.

"As far as the beatings, yeah. Sayomi took care of most of that area. My Deadly Vetch is the _real_ problem." Kurama raised one of his hands to the plant as he began to manipulate it. "It's from the Demon Plane, so getting it out of my system will take time." Kurama smiled up at Yusuke and said, "I… Heh… Must _reap_ what I've _sown._ "

Yusuke grinned and gave Kurama a thumb's-up. "Then you take it easy. I'll deal with these last two."

"All right, but be careful," Kurama warned. "The first three were of varying quality, but the last two are _top-level._ "

Yusuke turned to glare at the remaining two fighters. "Doesn't change the fact that I _aim to win!_ "

"Just don't take any unnecessary risks, Yusuke." Sayomi watched the cloaked fighter closely. "I only have so much energy left to heal. I'm almost tapped out, myself."

"Right. You just take care of Kurama and Kuwabara." Yusuke made his way back into the ring.

" _And now for the fifth match!_ " Koto announced eagerly.

In the tent, Hiei clenched his right fist, feeling the pain recede as he remained in the force field. Luka notice his aura was coming back as well and the thought alone made her sweat nervously.

Sayomi looked over at Hiei and the Masked Fighter. _Looks like Hiei's getting some feeling in his hand again. I guess Red's an actual healer after all. Too bad she didn't think her little plan through. She's nothing compared to Hiei at full health._

" _Jin's finally stepping up!_ "

" _Urameshi's goose is cooked now!_ "

Sayomi snapped out of her thoughts when the crowd erupted into loud screams and cheers. She looked back at the ring and noticed Jin. _Hmmm… I thought he was sitting the match out. I suppose now that his team is down to two members, the odds are even enough for him. Watch your back, Yusuke._

" _Grind!_ "

" _Crush!_ "

" _Smash!_ "

"Aw, _pipe down,_ ya dorks." Jin looked up at the stands, annoyed with their screams.

Yusuke glared at the red-head, ready to beat down another opponent. He couldn't let his guard down or else he might be manipulated again.

"Hey hey… lookit my ears." Jin smiled and pointed to his ears. They stuck out and tapered at the ends. Yusuke let his glare slip, confused by Jin's odd behavior. Jin wiggled his ears and said, "They've really pricked up!"

Jin began to laugh and flex as he smiled broadly. "They do that when I get excited! An' they haven't been this perky in ages!" Jin leaned in close to Yusuke and cupped his hand to keep anyone from reading his lips. He lowered his volume and said, "By the way, that was cool what you did to Baku. He really was a big, dumb jerk. Served him right. Don't tell Risho, tho'."

Yusuke blinked, dumbfounded and at a loss for what to do. " _Geez…_ " Yusuke smiled and scratched his cheek, embarrassed and confused. "You're a _strange guy,_ even for a demon. I was all hepped up and angry, ready to take it out on my next opponent, but now…"

Jin smiled and said, "I'm a _new foe,_ and it's a _new match._ Going in mad just takes the _fun_ outta it. And that's no way to live – " Without warning, Jin summoned a large gust of wind that rustled everyone's hair and clothes. He began to levitate just inches off the ground. "Or _die!_ "

"Amazing!" Koto exclaimed, trying to keep her hair out of her view as the wind blew it in the way. " _Jin's floating on a cushion of air!_ "

Yusuke watched Jin, trying to absorb what was happening around him. "Hmm… Maybe… it's time I _did_ have some fun." Yusuke broke into a grin. He clenched and pumped his fists, ready to fight. " _Okay, Jin, we'll see who's best! Ready when you are!_ "

" _Begin!_ " Koto started the match with a wave of her hand.

Yusuke wasted no time. He dashed forward and threw a quick right jab. " _Hut!_ "

Yusuke almost fell forward as his fist hit nothing but air. Yusuke growled and looked up to see Jin soaring straight up into the sky.

"Wow!" Koto gasped excitedly. "Jin just – _shot_ into the air… and he's staying there!"

Sayomi growled in her throat at the wind user. She had made her way back to Kuwabara, making sure he didn't get hurt by flying debris. "Now how is Yusuke supposed to hit him if he can do things like that?"

"Come down, you!" Yusuke yelled up at Jin.

A moment later, Jin came diving head-first towards the stadium.

"That's _better!_ " Yusuke growled. He crouched, preparing to attack as soon as he had a clean shot.

" _Jin's heeled over and gone into a dive!_ " Koto narrated.

Yusuke gasped in shock. Just as Jin was about to hit the ring floor, he maneuvered himself forward and around Yusuke. Yusuke tried to track Jin's flight pattern, but just as he turned, Jin knocked him down with a strong punch to the face.

"Yow!" Yusuke was knocked off balance and sent tumbling backwards across the ring. He got up and chuckled, being mindful of his swelling cheek and bleeding mouth. "Ow… Now _that's a punch!_ This is gonna be _great!_ "

Jin smiled at Yusuke, wiggling his ears as he floated above the stadium floor. Strong winds rushed around the ring, all under Jin's control. Yusuke smirked back and licked the blood from his lips.

" _Jin the Wind Specialist_ employed his _powers of flight_ for a _great opening move!_ " Koto yelled into her mic. "But even _put off balance, Urameshi_ looks ready, willing, and able to _strike back!_ "

"Gutsy, trying to take me from _there!_ " Jin complimented Yusuke and tugged at his wiggling ear. "Gotta _watch it_ around you!"

"That was a pretty _solid punch,_ man." Yusuke grinned and imitated the attack lightly on his cheek. "Nicely _delivered,_ too."

" _Don't_ award me any _high marks,_ yet." Jin said with a cheerful smile. He began twirling his right wrist in circles. Then, he expanded to spinning his whole arm around, gaining speed.

Yusuke watched in confusion and curiosity until he realized what the Wind Master was doing. Then he gulped and swallowed. Jin was in a crouch, his arm spinning so fast Yusuke could barely see it through the wind that was building up.

" _Jin's whipping up a miniature cyclone!_ " Koto deduced.

Once the cyclone was formed, Jin stopped spinning his arm. The wind whipping around his fist was so strong, it created a ripple effect with the surrounding air. " _Terror Tornado! And off we go!_ "

Jin dashed forward, bring up his tornado to punch Yusuke. Yusuke waited until the last moment to dodge out of the way. While he missed a direct attack, the tornado grazed Yusuke just enough to send him flying out of the ring.

" _Gwaah?!_ " Yusuke screamed in confusion.

Sayomi gasped at the effectiveness of the attack. "He barely whiffed him and he _still_ managed to get Yusuke?!"

Yusuke was about to crash head-first into the stadium wall. "Hmmph!" At the last second, Yusuke flipped in mid-air, clinging to the wall with one hand while his feet absorbed the impact.

" _Nice acrobatic turn_ by Urameshi!" Koto complimented. "He's _back_ on _his feet!_ However…"

Yusuke flinched when he noticed Jin flying straight towards him, the tornado still spinning around his fist. Jin held out his tornado fist, using the wind to accelerate.

"… _Jin's right on him!_ " Koto finished.

Yusuke gasped and quickly jumped out of the way. Jin hit the wall, smashing it to rubble and sending the unlucky fans flying in the air. Jin smirked as he watched Yusuke escape, his tornado used up from the attack.

" _Yeesh!_ " Yusuke grimaced at the destruction left behind. "That _wall_ coulda been _me!_ "

"Yeah, that felt _good!_ " Jin's ears twitched, expressing his excitement for the good fight.

" _Urameshi's reflexes save him again!_ " Koto commentated.

"You're doing very well." Jin praised Yusuke's skills as he met the teen back in the ring. He smirked and lifted his arm, beginning to spin it again.

" _Whoa there, pod'nah!_ " Yusuke dashed forward and delivered a volley of punches at Jin while his feet were grounded.

"I—I _can't tell_ what's going on!" Koto's eyes widened, trying desperately to follow the rapid punches. "A _supersonic_ exchange of blows – _maybe!_ "

"Damn, they're fast…" Sayomi muttered to herself. _It's all I can do to just follow their movements. Not to mention Jin could fly away at any second._

 _Which one's got the edge…_ Sayomi turned to Hiei. He was watching the fight, back on his feet, with his arms crossed. Without looking at her, he projected the question into her head. _Yusuke's speed, or Jin's wind?_

Sayomi turned back to the fight, biting her lip. _I guess we'll find out soon._

" _Eh! Ah! Oh!_ " Jin blocked every one of Yusuke's punches, backpedaling as the teen pressed forward. One punch was fast enough to slip through the red-head's defense and punch through his stomach.

"Guck… Huck…" Jin's eyes widened as his breath was knocked out of him. He instantly hunched over, clutching at his stomach in pain.

" _Gotcha!_ " Yusuke threw a right cross and nearly fell over forward. Jin shot straight up into the air again, protecting his stomach as he tried to regain his breath.

"Rats! Another _airlift!_ " Yusuke growled, annoyed with the same old trick.

" _Jin's out of reach once again!_ " Koto announced, surprised with the demon's quick thinking. "According to the _rules,_ rising _straight up into the air_ does not count as going _out-of-bounds!_ Jin could stay up there _forever_ and remain _in contention!_ "

"And _there's_ the classic ruling _against_ us!" Sayomi glared up at the speck in the sky that was Jin. "Don't these people have _better_ things to do with themselves?"

Sayomi's attention was drawn back to the ring when she noticed Yusuke was charging his Reigun. He shot the bullet at Jin as he retreated into the sky.

"Yusuke's _addressing_ that issue with a _Reigun Blast!_ " Koto watched in awe. "How will Jin _counter_ this?!"

 _That's a perfect shot!_ Sayomi grinned hopefully.

" _Blast Screen!_ " Jin turned and manipulated the wind current to redirect the blast and send it flying away harmlessly.

Yusuke and Sayomi gaped in shock by Jin's tactic. Yusuke could only watch his energy fly off into space while Jin remained unharmed.

"H-he _diverted_ Urameshi's shot with a _single gust of wind!_ " Koto couldn't believe her eyes. "That's the most _awesome display yet_ of his _mastery of the air!_ "

Jin stood in the sky and crossed his arms with a pleasant smile. "It also makes good protective ' _armor._ ' Your Reigun is _useless_ against it." He unfolded his arms and began to spin his right arm, forming another cyclone. "Ready to admit _defeat?_ "

" _Not by a long shot!_ " Yusuke growled, grinding his teeth.

" _Hee hee… Jin's got the human on the ropes!_ "

" _Urameshi's about to bite it, big time!_ "

Sayomi growled up at Jin but directed her thoughts to Hiei. _Is there any way he can win this?!_

 _There is a way to counter Jin… Quite risky…_ Hiei replied. He was leaning forward slightly, engaged in the match just as she was. _…So Yusuke's probably already thought of it. The worse the odds, the better he thinks._

 _What do you mean risky? What's he planning?!_ Sayomi's eyes widened as she watched Jin dive back down towards Yusuke, his tornado ready.

" _Then yer goin' down!_ " Jin propelled himself forward, gaining speed as he descended. He extended his cyclone fist to punch Yusuke. Yusuke just stood still, not trying to avoid the hit at all.

" _Urameshi's standing his ground!_ " Koto observed in surprise. "Or… Has he _given up?!_ "

 _What's he_ doing?! Sayomi clenched her fists, practically screaming for Yusuke to move.

Just as Jin was on top of him, Yusuke raised his right hand and charged it for another blast.

"Hey! _You –_ " Jin gasped, unable to move or stop his descent.

 _Yep!_ Hiei smirked. _Making a high-risk move – firing right into Jin's punch!_

"This oughta settle it!" Yusuke smirked, lining up his finger with the center of Jin's fist.

"Yusuke, you _idiot!_ " Sayomi yelled just as there was a bright flash followed by a loud explosion.

" _Mroow!_ " Koto was thrown across the grass from the shockwave.

The debris bounced off Luka's force field, keeping Hiei, the Masked Fighter, and the enchantress safe from harm. Kurama was seated against the ring's edge, so he ducked down, letting the force blow over his head. Sayomi used the chain of her _Kusarigama_ to form a barrier for her and Kuwabara.

"Whoo!" Koto recovered from the blast and rubbed the bump on her head. She did a double-take when she realized the ring was empty. "What they _hey?!_ They're _gone! Both_ of them… _blown away_ in the _clash of power!_ "

"Unnn…"

Sayomi looked towards the tent to see Yusuke laying on his back near the wall. She put away her weapon and ran towards the boy. _Damn! At least he's not dead._

" _Snap!_ " Yusuke sat up and glared at the ring. "I blew it!"

"Urameshi's _out of bounds!_ As for Jin, _where…?!_ " Koto up over her shoulder and gasped. "He's gone _airborne_ again!"

Jin was floating in the air, one of the torn white cloths hanging from his waist. He was watching Yusuke warily, trying to recover from the adrenaline of the moment. "Nearly _got me,_ then! If he'd landed a _direct hit,_ that would've been _it!_ "

"Yusuke!" Sayomi stopped beside the detective and looked him over for any serious injuries. _Not that I could heal him now, but…_ "What the _hell_ were you _thinking?!_ "

"Tough one, huh…" Yusuke and Sayomi looked up at Hiei. He stood with his arms crossed, watching them with a bored expression. "He didn't need to _escape_ your blast, just whip up an _updraft_ to _redirect_ its force. He's a _veteran campaigner,_ with far more _experience_ than you'll _ever_ have! Any idea how you'll _beat_ him?"

"Not yet! _"_ Yusuke growled angrily, earning an annoyed glare from the fire apparition. " _You_ got any clue, by any chance?!"

"Can we start by _not_ blowing _us_ up along with the enemy?" Sayomi glared at the boy, clenching and unclenching her fists. _I don't know if I want to hug him or_ punch _him._

"It's still _your_ fight, but this standing around is really starting to _bore_ me." Hiei unfolded his arms and slipped his right hand into his pocket. He leveled his gaze with Yusuke and said, "Just so you know… If you lose, _I'm_ taking him on next."

Sayomi watched Hiei as his dark aura began to fluctuate around his body. Her eyes began to widen and they lightened from dark gray to sliver. _Is she really_ healing _him?_

Hiei smirked and removed his right arm from his pocket, clenching his fists. "Forget the rules and anyone who complains. _Anyone!_ "

Yusuke, Luka, and the Masked Fighter watched Hiei with surprise, fear, and caution. Sayomi felt a smile creep on her face as she imagined taking on the whole stadium.

" _5! 6!_ " Koto had already started the count. " _7!_ "

Yusuke turned to the field and leaped back into the ring.

" _Fight!_ " Koto announce enthusiastically.

Yusuke glared up at Jin while he addressed the eager fire demon. "It's still my fight and I'll finish it myself, Hiei!"

Hiei crossed his arms and watched the detective, bored with waiting.

Sayomi sighed and slid a glance to Hiei. _As much as I would_ love _to join you, Yusuke has a point. Let him handle this. If he loses in the next match, then we can carry on with that plan._

"Hn." Hiei didn't bother giving her a proper reply. He ignored her and watched the rest of the match unfold.

Jin was still hanging in the sky, spinning both of his arms in circles with a smile. " _Cocky_ little so-and-so! You'd better _pay attention,_ then!" His arms began to accelerate, stirring up more wind.

" _Jin's whipping up cyclones with both arms!_ " Koto said in awe.

Yusuke could only stand in the ring, helpless as he watched his opponent prepare his attack.

"Go ahead… _Blaze away!_ " Jin cheered in the sky, both tornados at the ready.

Yusuke glared and adjusted his stance. He squatted with his feet spread further apart. He clasped his left hand over his right wrist. His right hand was clenched into a fist and his aura began to flow around his whole body.

" _What kinda stance is that?!_ " Koto yelled into the mic, unfamiliar with the attack.

"Haah…" Yusuke took a deep breath. He slowly released his arm and let his energy gather in his fist.

"Isn't that…?" Sayomi recalled their first encounter with the round worms that infected Yusuke's hometown. _Is this his Shotgun? But this feels different somehow. His whole body is surrounded with aura. He already used up three shots today so if this doesn't work…_

"Heh," The Masked Fighter chuckled to herself. "Well, Yusuke's a born gambler…"

Jin smiled down at Yusuke, his ears twitching with anticipation. "Hoo-hoo! His _energy's_ rising like _crazy! Awesome!_ " Jin dived down at Yusuke, both cyclones ready. " _Let's rumble!_ "

Yusuke stood his ground as Jin quickly made his descent. At the last second, Yusuke caught Jin's right jab in his left hand.

" _Yipes!_ " Koto, along with the rest of the spectators, was stunned by the display.

The impact was enough to push Yusuke back a few inches, but he refused to give in. Jin was speechless as he tried to overpower the detective. Yusuke, on the other hand, was digging his heels into the ring. He began to sweat as he strained to hold on to Jin's punch.

" _Graarr!_ " With a shout of defiance, Yusuke threw Jin's first cyclone fist to the side. The wind dissipated and Jin was momentarily too stunned to do more than gape at Yusuke's bold move.

" _Wow!_ " Koto was just as surprised as the Wind Master. "Urameshi blocked _Jin's punch_ with his _left hand!_ "

"Unh!" Jin managed to recover enough composure to throw his left tornado fist.

Yusuke was faster. He brought his left hand back up in time to catch that fist too. Yusuke locked eyes with Jin, letting the red-head realize what was coming. Jin could only watch as Yusuke charged his right fist.

" _And now…_ " Without letting go, Yusuke released all of his pent up aura with a solid right cross directly into Jin's abdomen. " _Aura Blast!_ " The attack launched Jin through the air. He crashed into the stands on the top level of the stadium.

" _Clean hit by Urameshi!_ " Koto shouted. "He _parried_ Jin's wind and _sent him into the stands!_ "

" _Yes!_ " Sayomi cheered, pumping her fist.

"Nice, sneaky move…" Hiei complimented.

"He used that one on the boat… called it 'Shotgun.' Apt description." The Masked Fighter explained. "The shockwave can blow away weak enemies at long range. It doesn't have the Reigun's punch and it works best directly on the body, as we just saw. That's Yusuke's best – and final – shot today, so if that doesn't do it…"

"…Then he's screwed." Sayomi concluded. _Please stay down!_

" _4! 5!_ " Koto had started the count.


	23. Chapter 23

" _5! 6!_ "

Yusuke was hunched over in the ring, bracing his weight on his legs and breathing heavily. His legs trembled as he tried to keep himself mostly vertical. Jin had crashed into the stands because of Yusuke's last attack. The dust was still settling from his impact.

Sayomi waited with held breath, waiting for Koto to finish the count. _Please stay down, Jin! Don't get back –_

Jin popped out of the rubble like a daisy. His eyes were wide open, slightly dazed from the blow.

" _Yii!_ " Yusuke flinched back, taken off guard by the demon's sudden recovery.

Jin grinned as his usually spritely ears flopped downward. "Now _that_ was a _punch!_ Y-almost… knocked me…" Jin fell back into the rubble, unconscious.

" _10!_ " Koto waved her arm towards a confused, yet relieved, Yusuke. " _The count is over! Urameshi wins!_ "

"The _Shadow Channelers_ are down to _one!_ "

"That's _pitiful! Pathetic!_ "

Sayomi let go of the breath she was holding in a large exhale. "Damn… That was a little too close for comfort. Huh?" A fat old man in a suit caught Sayomi's eye as he waddled down the stairs in the stands and gained Risho's attention. She narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice. "What the hell are they planning?"

" _Next contender, step forward!_ " Koto turned to the last cloaked figure with the diamond on his hood.

The fighter removed the cloak and revealed himself to be a skinny man with black hair cut into a short bob. He had dark circles under his eyes, but Sayomi couldn't tell if it was natural or done with make-up. She could tell, however, that his long nose was not fake. He wore black full-body tights with an orange sash and shawl. Bandages wrapped around his lower legs.

Risho stepped into the ring and raised a finger as he said, "Permit me to predict…" He moved his hand to curl just under his chin as he smirked down at Yusuke. "…That you will lose without _touching_ me."

"Say _what?_ " Yusuke growled.

" _Begin!_ " Koto announced.

" _Let's challenge that prediction!_ " Yusuke gritted his teeth and glared as he dashed for Risho. The ninja only smirked at Yusuke, making no move to run or defend.

" _Stop the match!_ " A woman's voice crackled through the stadium speakers.

Yusuke tripped over his feet at the sudden order to stop and landed on his head. The crowd of spectators seemed just as confused. Hiei and Sayomi glared up at the box office that was stationed above the regular seats. Yusuke recovered from his fall and rubbed his head where he fell.

"We have an _objection_ from the _VIP seats!_ " Koto explained, just as surprised as the rest.

"Oh no… Not _this_ again!" Yusuke growled as he got back to his feet.

"I _knew_ it. That fat-ass _was_ planning something." Sayomi flexed her hands, holding herself back from acting out. _He better pray to whatever he believes in that he doesn't cross paths with me. I don't need to kill him, but he'll beg me to._

The speakers crackled as the woman continued. "It has been _decided_ that when Urameshi fell out of bounds in the _previous match,_ the referee did _not_ proceed with the count at the _regulation pace!_ In short, she was _slow!_ After _considering_ the matter…"

"Huh? _Me?!_ " Koto pointed at herself, baffled by the accusation. "Count too _slow?!_ "

"… _The committee has ruled the match between Urameshi and Jin a draw!_ " The announcer finished with authority. Yusuke could only stare up at them, stunned with the ruling against them. The fans murmured among themselves over the call.

"Didya _get_ that?"

" _Both_ of 'em ruled out of bounds?"

"Did the count seem slow t' you?"

"Nope… 'Bout right, I thought…"

"So Urameshi's been _eliminated?_ "

"Yeah! And with Hiei and the Masked Fighter out of the running, and none of their teammates are dead so they can't use their alternate, there's only _one guy_ left… and that's _Risho!_ "

"If that's so, then… Team Urameshi has _lost?_ "

"Team Urameshi has _lost?_ "

" _That's right! They lost!_ "

The crowd slowly came to the conclusion and they began to get riled with excitement. Risho just stood with his arms crossed and a smug smirk. "Heh… Exactly."

"Oh, come _on!_ " Sayomi growled. "That's the _lamest_ scam yet! Let _me_ take a whack at him! He won't look so smug once _I'm_ done with him." There was a painful groan behind her that drew her attention from the ring. "What —?"

"Go ahead – " Risho walked towards Koto, forcing her to take a couple steps back. " _Announce_ their _defeat._ "

"I-I _challenge_ the claim!" Koto tried to stop the unjustified call. "Please _reconsider_ your ruling!"

"No appeals! The ruling _stands!_ " The committee shot down her plead.

" _Risho!_ "

The ninja turned to see Toya standing next to Gama's corpse on the side of the ring. The Ice Master applied pressure to his bleeding stomach as he struggled to stand. "What kind of _victory_ is this? Gama _died_ fighting, while you – "

Risho turned up his nose and looked down at his teammate. "This doesn't _suit_ you? What a shame. We're here to _win,_ period. And the _best way_ to win is with the _least_ amount of effort and bloodshed."

"Unh…" Toya glared at Risho, but his pain made it less effective.

Risho turned back to Koto and reached for her as he advanced on her. "You _heard_ the decision! _Announce it!_ Or shall we _eject you_ and get a _new referee?_ "

Koto smacked his hand away and growled at him, annoyed with her orders. Then Yusuke stepped up behind her to glare at Risho. "So you'd rather have things _handed_ to you than _earn 'em,_ huh? What a _wimp!_ "

"Hmph…" Risho smirked down at Yusuke, unintimidated by the detective's glare.

"Let it _go,_ Yusuke." The detective turned to Hiei under the medical tent. All of his physical wounds were healed. "As you see, this tournament's a sorry joke. They clearly don't respect the _rules…_ " Sayomi turned to the fire demon as he began to emit an intense dark aura. "… So we'll make them respect _us!_ Let the _strong_ survive, no holds barred!"

" _He's not kidding!_ " Luka angrily shouted at the VIP seats. "And he's got the _power to back it up!_ I can't _hold_ him!"

"You're right, Hiei…" Yusuke clenched his fists tightly, ignoring his popping knuckles. " _I'm_ fed up with this crap, too! These guys want _mayhem?!_ We'll _give 'em_ mayhem!"

Sayomi smirked to herself as she let the adrenaline build in her system. "Are we _really_ doing this? Because I _hope_ we are." She began concentrating her aura to her weapon.

"Hey…" The crowd had hushed down with the building tension. "This sounds _good!_ "

Koto waved her arm towards Risho and reluctantly spoke into her mic. "Much as I _hate_ to say this… Team Urameshi is _out of contention!_ The Shadow Channelers are…"

" _A bunch of lily-livered bums!_ " Everyone turned to the voice in shock. Kuwabara was standing tall despite the bruises that still covered his body. "That's what _I_ say, anyway! Ya'll _forget_ about li'l ol' _me?_ "

" _K-Kuwabara!_ " Yusuke exclaimed with angry concern.

"'At's right." Kuwabara slowly made his way to the ring, being very mindful of his wounds.

"You're still around, huh?" Hiei remarked, annoyed with the boy's stubbornness.

"You _bet_ yer – " Kuwabara was cut off as he felt his side twinge in pain. He quickly applied light pressure and squatted down to the grass as he broke out in a sweat.

"Idiot!" Sayomi yelled angrily at the teen. "Don't you _dare_ put my work to _waste!_ If you _break_ something again, I'm _not_ healing it!"

Yusuke jumped down from the ring and confronted his friend. "Listen to Sayomi! You're in _no shape_ for this, ya moron! You're a _mass of hurt_ from that _poundin'_ ya got!"

Kuwabara ignored his pain to look up at Yusuke. "Tell me somethin' I _don't_ know… and tell me _you_ really wanna sink t' their level at this point. Not that I _blame_ you…" Kuwabara smirked weakly. "I'd _love_ to bust this place open _myself!_ But can't we show these _cheatin' scum_ that even at our worst, we're _better?_ "

" _If_ you win." Hiei commented from the sidelines.

"You just _watch,_ shorty!" Kuwabara yelled at the cynical apparition.

Sayomi sighed and crossed her arms, her sickle dangling from her hand. _He has no idea just who he's talking to, does he?_

Kuwabara glared at Risho as he hobbled into the ring. Although his internal wounds were healed, his body was still bruised and sore. His bones popped at the joints with every step he took.

" _Contestants forward!_ " Koto announced, relieved for Team Urameshi's come-back.

Sayomi watched Kuwabara, tightening her grip on her weapon. _Is he_ crazy? _He can barely_ stand _let alone_ fight. _Just don't get yourself killed, Kuwabara._

"Is this a death wish or pure _stupidity?_ " Risho asked his opponent with a superior smirk.

"What _difference_ does it make?" Kuwabara gritted his teeth, biting back the urge to show how much pain he was in. "Let's _do_ it!"

" _Begin!_ " Koto announced.

"Mph…" Risho lowered into a stance, biding his time.

"Any bets on how _quick_ the human _dies?_ "

"With all the _reversals_ we've seen? Fat chance!"

"Whoever _wins,_ his team moves to the _semifinals!_ "

" _Mash 'im up, Kuwabara! Bust his smirkin', cheatin' butt!_ " Yusuke yelled angrily, cheering on his friend to shut everyone up.

"Heh…" Risho smirked, leaving himself open as he beckoned for Kuwabara to start. "Take your shot."

" _Thanks! I'd be delighted!_ " Kuwabara charged forward. He extended his hand, gathering his aura to summon his sword. His energy converged then dispersed before it could manifest. Kuwabara gasped when he felt his energy leave and he couldn't stop himself from swinging down with an empty fist.

Risho jumped out of the way and countered with a solid kick to the back of Kuwabara's head.

" _Gack!_ " Kuwabara fell over forward, landing on his head and rolling over onto his back. "Unh… Shee…" Kuwabara struggled back to his feet and held up his hand. He clenched his teeth, trying to focus his aura. "I _… Can't make… my Aura Sword!_ "

" _What?!_ " Yusuke clenched his teeth, shocked by Kuwabara's disadvantage.

"This is _not_ good." Sayomi watched angrily, holding herself in place to keep from jumping in. "I _told_ him not to put my healing to waste. Now he's taking all the hits and he can't even _fight back!_ "

Risho took advantage of Kuwabara's distraction and delivered another kick.

" _Gaah!_ " Kuwabara was knocked down on his back, causing some of his wounds to open again and start bleeding.

Risho let him stagger back to his feet enough to throttle him with consecutive punches. " _Left! Right!_ " Risho laughed as Kuwabara screamed and coughed up blood, too tired to even block.

"It's no _mystery_ why you can't summon your sword! Your body's already taken a _huge_ amount of punishment…" Risho threw a straight punch across Kuwabara's jaw. "…So your _aura_ is totally absorbed in _healing!_ "

"Huff… Huff…" Kuwabara was covered in blood and sweat as he heaved and fought through his exhaustion. "S-so you…"

" _Feh!_ " Risho threw a kick up to Kuwabara's chin.

Kuwabara refused to stay down. He struggled back to his knees, glaring up at Risho with defiance. Risho gritted his teeth as he glared down at the beaten boy. "You're _tough_ , human, but I tire of this!"

Risho jumped out of the ring and said, "Time you _saw_ what it means to be the _Earth Master!_ "

Koto watched Risho curiously as she brought up her mic. "Risho's _delaying_ his attack! What's he up to…?" She gasped when she saw the ground rise from his feet and conform to Risho's body. "He's summoning the dirt… to cover his body!"

" _Carnage Earth Battle Armor!_ " Before long, Risho was protected by solid clay covered in spikes. His torso was completely covered along with his shoulders. Large shards of earth protected his upper thighs and groin. His lower legs and forearms were all guarded as well. Finally, his head was protected with a helmet with three large spikes on top.

" _Brace yourself for the…_ " Risho locked eyes with Kuwabara, then lunged forward at full-speed. " _…Bomber Tackle!_ "

Kuwabara was tackled to the ground. The spikes in the armor punctured small holes that bled freely all over his torso. He landed spread out on his back, struggling to breathe through the blood and pain.

Yusuke was speechless as he watched his friend take a worse beating than before.

Sayomi's eyes darkened as her knuckles turned white. _Just stay down, Kuwabara…_

" _He's down!_ " Koto began to count off her fingers. " _1! 2!_ "

"Well…" Risho smirked as he slid a glance down at his opponent. "So much for…" His eyes snapped open and his words were caught in his throat. He tried to speak, but his mind was too scrambled to form a coherent thought. "What the… Eh? What's…?"

Blood spilled on the stadium floor as Kuwabara slowly pushed himself back to his feet. He ignored the blood on his face and the bruises covering his body. He trembled on his feet, but he refused to back down.

" _You idiot! Stay down!_ " Risho shouted in a shrill voice.

"And _lose?_ Uh-uh!" Kuwabara kept his eyes on his opponent, standing his ground. "I'm _stayin'_ in the game, even if it _kills_ me. And if it's a draw, we go to overtime. Either way, Sayomi or Yusuke'll mop you up."

"Ulp…" Risho swallowed the lump in his throat. "He _means_ it…"

Kuwabara slid a glance back to his team, reaching out to each of them telepathically. _Hiei… you're a jerk, but you've got the right stuff. Kurama… I've gotten this far thanks to you. Sayomi… thanks for patchin' me up all the time. Masked Fighter… still no idea who you are, but you've got the right stuff, too. Yusuke…_ Kuwabara smirked as he locked eyes with long-time rival. …knead 'im good for me!

"Kuwabara?!" Yusuke was weary about what Kuwabara had planned.

"Stop trying to play the hero!" Sayomi's vision began to blur and she tried to blink the tears away. _This is like Yusuke at the Labyrinth Castle all over again! And Yasuhiro…_

Kuwabara braced himself, clenching his fists and crouching a bit. " _Here I come!_ " Kuwabara yelled as he charged directly at Risho.

"This _has_ to be _it!_ " Hiei watched, unable to believe his stubborn will.

" _Kuwabara!_ " Sayomi growled, the tears spilling despite her efforts.

" _Don't do this!_ " Yusuke yelled desperately.

Kuwabara ignored them all as he sprinted towards his target, his face set with resolve. Just as he was closing in, his expression did a complete 180-degree flip to stunned recognition. He tried to see past Risho, oblivious to his opponent's fist aiming down at him.

Risho glared, annoyed with Kuwabara's sudden loss of focus. " _Hey, moron! I'm over here!_ "

" _Git outta my face!_ " Kuwabara swung a powerful backhand with his left fist. The attack was strong enough to send Risho crashing into the top level of the stands. Without acknowledging Risho's demise, Kuwabara grinned and focused on an unexpected visitor in the stands just behind the wall. " _Yukina! You're here!_ "

"Kazuma! Are you _all right?!_ " The ice maiden called out, worried for the beat up teen. Botan, Keiko, Atsuko, and his sister Shizuru were standing next to her.

" _Ha ha…_ " Kuwabara laughed and flexed his right bicep. " _Never better!_ "

"Holy… jeeps, Kuwabara!" Yusuke's eye twitched, surprised by the big lug's instant recovery.

Sayomi blinked her eyes dry. _Guess he's okay…_

" _She's_ here?" Hiei's eyes widened at the ice maiden's sudden attendance. He didn't even bother to realize when Luka dropped her force field after Koto's count ended.

" _Team Urameshi will now advance to the semifinals!_ " Koto announced enthusiastically.

"That was _too_ close…" Luka retreated as far away as she could, trying to catch her breath from restraining the fire demon.

Sayomi smirked as she followed just behind Hiei, trailing behind the rest of their team. Yusuke was helping Kurama across the field. Kuwabara led the group with his hand in his pocket, trying to look strong and able in front of a certain fan. The Masked Fighter walked just ahead of Yusuke and Kurama with her hands behind her back.

Shortly after they walked back into the tunnel, Hiei stopped walking and held fast to Sayomi's wrist. She stopped instantly and shot him a curious look with an arched brow. Unlike the last time, his grip was just firm enough to demand obedience. Hiei simply watched their teammates disappear and waited for their voices to distort with the echo.

He let go of her wrist and turned to face her directly. "She shouldn't be here."

It took Sayomi a brief moment to realize who he was talking about. "Well, don't look at _me._ I didn't tell her anything."

Hiei glared at her for a moment, gauging her body language and comparing it to the tone of her voice. He eventually decided she was being honest so he closed his eyes and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.

Sayomi tilted her head in curiosity, but she kept her mouth shut. _If I push for answers, it'll only make him that much more defensive about it. Best to let him think his words through._ Her eyes lingered on the shirtless swordsman. _Hmm… He's actually in pretty good shape now that I get a good look at him. So many scars…_

A minute passed before he spoke, his eyes still closed. "I've decided on a favor. I want you to keep Yukina safe so long as she's here."

"What do you mean?" Sayomi asked curiously.

"If she's here, she could easily become a target for any demon or human. I'm going to be busy fighting in the ring and I can't protect her from there." He opened his eyes and stared directly at Sayomi. She found herself unable to look away, though she vaguely realized that she didn't really _want_ to. "We can handle ourselves enough to hold off on the healing until after the matches. So long as she's here, she will be under _your_ watch."

"Why can't _you_ watch over her? Isn't that why you got the Evil Eye?" Sayomi recalled her brother and couldn't imagine taking that kind of bond away from him or Yukina.

"I believe it was _your_ idea to carry out a favor of my choice in exchange for training you." Hiei gave her no room to argue. "If there is a chance you're needed, I will let you know otherwise."

"Isn't the next match going to be the semi-finals? Who's to say I won't be needed ring-side after the first match? You can't deny that everyone has been hurt in every round, including _you._ Besides, if anything happens, I can be by her side instantly. The stands are covered in shadows, hers included."

Hiei glared at her, not giving her the benefit of an answer.

"I'm sticking with you guys. Besides, I feel too out of place around other girls." Sayomi closed her eyes and recalled her time with the monks. _Not really the best place to learn to be one…_

"Is that what bothers you? _Other_ _women?_ " Hiei smirked as an idea crossed his mind.

"Let's just say I don't have much experience with them. So far, can't say I like most of what I've seen." Feeling uncomfortable with the topic, she decided to change it. "How's your arm?"

"Completely healed. It seems that woman had some skill after all." He held out his right hand. There was no sign of the burn from just two days ago.

"Right." Sayomi narrowed her eyes and turned to leave with her hands in her pockets. "Because you didn't need any healing from _me,_ you had to be restrained by some whore's barrier."

"My intention was to get through the matches without _any_ assistance. As you said, I needed to be forced." Hiei smirked and walked up behind Sayomi as she slowed to a stop. "Does it bother you that another woman healed my arm?"

She could feel his body heat radiating against her back. He wasn't touching her, but he might as well have. Sayomi tried to ignore it and focus on his question. She kept her voice steady, but her annoyance managed to trickle through. "Just calling it as I see it. At least you're back at 100%, right? I'll fetch her next time you cripple yourself."

"Heh." Hiei chuckled. "That won't be necessary." He stepped around her and made his way down the tunnel with his hands in his pockets. "Be ready to train tomorrow."

Sayomi watched his retreating figure until he disappeared in the darkness. She felt cold now that he was no longer close to her. She leaned back against the wall, tilting her head back, and closed her eyes.

 _Why would we train if he doesn't even want me near the ring? It would make more sense if he trained with Kurama or on his own._ She took a deep inhale as she felt her muscles stiffen. Then, she released the tension as she slowly exhaled.

 _And what was that just now, anyway? He seemed to actually be enjoying himself for a moment._ Sayomi absently caressed her wrist where the warmth from his grip lingered. _Is it because I don't know how to be a girl? From what I've seen, most of them seem pretty helpless in a fight… or is there more to it than that? How would I even know?_

She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, trying to banish the thoughts. _Why does it even matter? We're here to win a tournament and go home._ She pushed off the wall and made her way to the hotel room.


	24. Chapter 24

Team Urameshi had no time to celebrate their victory over Dr. Ichigaki's Team before they had to confront the Shadow Channelers. In the face of blatantly biased interference on the part of Tournament HQ, the battle came down to a face-off between the Shadow Channelers captain Risho and a badly mauled Kuwabara! Against all odds, Kuwabara triumphed! The reason? _Unanticipated inspiration!_ Finally given a moment to breathe, the guys get together with the girls.

"I just don't get why we had to – " Sayomi yawned, not bothering to hide her fatigue. "Leave at the crack of dawn. The _sun_ isn't even up yet."

"We only have one day to train before the next match." Hiei walked ahead of her at a leisurely pace. He was wearing his usual cloak and his hands stayed in his pockets. "And we still want to catch the matches later today so we can be prepared."

Sayomi reluctantly followed after him through the dark woods. "And why do _I_ need to train with you? Why not get _Kurama?_ "

"The fox is doing his own training. When was the last time you meditated?" Hiei kept his eyes forward as he spoke to her.

Sayomi scowled and said, "You know when. It was when Yasuhiro showed up."

"And you're going to let him stop you?"

"Well…" Sayomi sighed as she thought her words through. "He said that at the rate I was going, I was only going to speed up the process. I figured I'd play it safe."

"And you believe him."

"He hasn't given me reason _not_ to. The last time I saw him, he really wasn't himself. Now, he seems in control again." Sayomi found herself getting somewhat defensive. _He's my brother. Of course I can trust him._ "Besides, you trust Yukina, don't you?"

"What does _she_ have to do with anything?"

"Well, you know." Sayomi slipped her hands into her pockets and shrugged. "Siblings and all that. You never doubted _her_ for a second."

"Yukina is _nothing_ like that coward." Hiei stopped and turned to glare at Sayomi. "You've thought your brother was dead for how long now? And you said he wasn't in control before. What makes you think he's sane _now?_ "

Sayomi stopped walking and glared back. "Does Yukina think you're dead? Or does she even _realize_ she has a brother? Is that why you won't tell her?"

"You should leave her out of this if you want to survive the day." Hiei turned to leave, not giving her a choice in the matter.

Sayomi didn't follow him. She watched him walk away and let the surrounding shadows creep over her. _I'm not the one with a match to prepare for._ She smirked and made her way in the opposite direction of the swordsman.

 _Who does he think he is anyway? Telling me whether or not to trust my own brother given the way he treats Yukina. He won't even tell the poor girl who he is._ Sayomi wandered around the woods aimlessly, not caring where she went. _Granted yeah, I thought he was dead this whole time, but you can't blame me. He probably thought I was dead until recently, too._

Sayomi looked around and noticed the shadows were beginning to fade. "Guess I'm awake now…" She sighed and walked until she found a good enough clearing. "…But I don't know what to do besides go back to sleep. I'm sure Yusuke and Kuwabara are enjoying their mornings in bed."

She settled on a fallen tree trunk and enjoyed the nature around her. _Human World nature is so peaceful compared to the Demon Plane. I don't have to stay on my guard as much, and it smells so much nicer. But then, I don't really belong here, do I? I'm just here to pay a debt. But, once that's done, where do I go? I can't go back to the monks. The whole point of doing this is so I can leave all that behind._

Sayomi took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She closed her eyes as she began to relax her muscles. _So, what about Yusuke? He'll be leaving this world behind. Kurama is already settled here in the Human World with his family. Hiei is stuck here on probation but I doubt that will keep him down for too long. Kuwabara is pure human so he'll probably just go back to a normal human life. Everyone will have to part ways sooner or later, right?_

Sayomi let her mind wander as she felt herself become immersed in the void of her subconscious. She was walking through the darkness, going nowhere. There was nothing to see and nothing to feel. She knew she was walking on something solid, but she couldn't feel any texture. It was just black. Even without infrared vision, she could see herself just fine.

"Once I pay off my debt, what will I do?" Her voice echoed around her and faded off into silence. "Go back with Yasuhiro? But what if Hiei's right and he _is_ different from what I remember?"

Images began to flash before her in the dark. She froze and couldn't look away. "These are…"

Soon, the darkness began to fade away. Sayomi found herself back in the Demon Plane. It was dark and humid. Large, tropical plants were sprouting around her and she felt a strong sense of déjà vu.

"Keep yourself hidden, Sayomi. This is gonna be a real _scream_."

She froze when she realized she was wearing her cloak again and her hood was hanging just over her eyes. She turned to her left to see her brother dressed similarly. He was smirking at something straight ahead through the trees. She snapped her attention to the same direction when she heard the rustle of leaves.

She felt the shadows slink over her and distort her physical shape. She could feel herself trembling in place, anxious to escape. "Hiro…" she whispered.

"Shhh…" Yasuhiro kept his eyes forward, the smirk never leaving his face. "Just sit tight. If one of them slips through, just get as far away as you can. Don't look back. I'll find you." He patted her head before he stealthily made his way through the brush, using the dark to veil himself like his sister.

Sayomi tried to keep him in sight, but soon he was gone. She tried to breathe quietly, but she couldn't keep herself from flinching at every small sound. She squeaked when she heard an angry shout become fearful screaming. She covered her ears and curled into herself to make herself less noticeable. _They can't see me… They can't see me…_

The screams increased as more hunters stumbled through Yasuhiro's path. Eventually, his laughter began to overshadow the screams.

Sayomi felt tears slide down her face as she tried to keep quiet. _Don't see me…_

She heard a twig snap just off to her right and she snapped her eyes over to see a tall, dark figure with her infrared view. He was sweeping his eyes over her, searching for any sign of movement. Sayomi held her breath as she slowly tried to sneak away.

Suddenly, a black shadow slithered over the figure and he tried to fight it off. The shadow covered him like a second skin, making his temperature slightly colder, and his eyes dilated as he began to scream.

Sayomi jumped back and began to take off running in the opposite direction. She rushed by trees and her cloak would tear as it snagged on the occasional twig or branch. Her breathing became labored and her sides began to burn, but she pushed herself on. She didn't want to think about what was happening behind her.

The memory began to fade back into the void and Sayomi found herself in a cold sweat and out of breath. She sat down and focused on regaining control of herself.

"What the hell…?" Her eyes were wide open as the memory replayed in her head with fresh clarity. She tried to shake the image away. "But that was so long ago… He seemed just fine the other day."

She propped up her knees and leaned her head forward between them. She took slow breaths as she tried to reel in the strong wave of emotions. "Do I really want to risk going back to that? Or is that what will happen to me if I don't?"

Her breathing slowed as she came to a realization. "Is this what Hiei meant?"

Sayomi opened her physical eyes and noticed the sun was up. The birds were chirping in the trees and the temperature was already getting warmer. She flexed her hands and noticed they felt a little clammy. _I haven't thought about that night in so long, I almost forgot what really happened…_

She stood up from the log and began to stretch out her legs. _Meditating is not as much help as it used to be…_ She remembered her Shade and recalled how easy it was back then compared to now. _She didn't show up this time either. What happened to her? I guess the only one I can ask is Yasuhiro…_

 _Whap! Whap!_

Sayomi jumped and scanned the trees for the source of the loud sound. "What the hell was that?"

She looked up at the birds that were flying away. She smirked as she remembered who was on the island. _That could only be one person._ She made her way through the forest, sensing out Yusuke's aura signature. She used her aura to just muffle her steps. She didn't want to use too much and risk Yusuke noticing her.

"Did you _enjoy_ that?"

Sayomi froze in place.

"Meow!"

"Nice _try,_ Botan! C'mon out!" Yusuke called out the guilty reaper.

Sayomi blinked at the familiar voice, then let out a quiet breath of relief. _I thought I was caught already._ She quietly stationed herself behind a tree and focused on her hearing.

The leaves rustled as Botan stepped out of hiding. "You _knew_ I was here all along?"

"Yep!" Yusuke declared smugly. "Say, where's Koenma?"

"Oh, _that's_ what I came to _tell_ you!" Botan exclaimed, remembering her original objective. " _The egg's about to hatch!_ "

"Egg?"

"Yes, the egg… of the _Underworld Beast!_ " Botan growled, annoyed with Yusuke's forgetful mind.

"Oh… right!" Yusuke laughed nervously, playing it off.

Sayomi face-palmed herself and shook her head. _Already, Yusuke?_

"Master Koenma's fetching it from the Underworld!" Botan snapped.

"In fact, _here it is!_ Huh?"

Sayomi did _not_ jump at Koenma's voice suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

" _Stop popping up like that!_ " Yusuke yelled angrily.

"Stop being so _easily_ taken by _surprise!_ " Koenma countered.

Sayomi smirked and took that as her cue to step out of her hiding place. She let her aura fade as she said, "The prince has a point, Yusuke."

" _Gahh!_ " Yusuke jumped and glared at her. " _Damn it,_ Sai!"

"Ha ha ha! I can't help it if you're not aware." Sayomi grinned, teasing the detective.

Yusuke glared at her then turned his attention to the large golden egg that glowed in Koenma's hand. He was in his teenage body. Sayomi watched the egg curiously. The glow brightened and faded at regular intervals like a heartbeat.

"It looks…" Yusuke looked at the egg warily. "… _bigger,_ doesn't it?"

"Yup." Koenma answered, handing the egg to Yusuke. "It's about to _hatch._ "

"Hatch? Into… _what?_ " Yusuke held the egg slightly away from his body.

"Beats me." Koenma shrugged. He looked down at Yusuke, the humor gone from his tone. "It's been drawing on _your_ soul energy, so it'll be a _reflection_ of that. In a moment we'll know whether we have an _angel…_ or _devil._ "

There was a loud clap of thunder followed by a flash of lightning. Sayomi looked up to see storm clouds gathering in the sky. _But it was clear just a moment ago…_

The sound of cracks brought her attention back down to the egg in Yusuke's hands. Soon enough, the beast pushed the eggshell open. Sayomi, Yusuke, Koenma, and Botan gasped as a strong light began to emit from the egg. The light quickly became too bright and everyone had to close their eyes. The sound of the egg popping open reached their ears. As soon as the light faded, everyone opened their eyes and began to look around.

" _Huh?!_ " Yusuke immediately panicked as his hands became empty. " _Hey! Where is it?!_ "

" _There!_ " Botan pointed straight at Yusuke.

Sayomi followed the reaper's line of sight. She blinked a couple times. Then a smile creeped on her face as she struggled to keep the laughter in.

Perched on Yusuke's head was a small blue penguin-like creature. It had long, floppy ears, stubby arms, and talons that clasped to Yusuke's hair. It had a matching tuft of black hair on its head and a bird beak. "Peep!"

Yusuke blinked as he felt the weight on his head disappear. The beast was using its ears like wings to fly up. Yusuke glared as he turned his head to the side to try to see it. The beast floated back down facing forward. When Yusuke turned back to glare forward, the bird was facing to the right. Yusuke growled as he gradually became more annoyed.

"Pfft…"

"…Hee Hee…"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Sayomi, Botan, and Koenma broke into fits of barely restrained laughter. Yusuke could only tremble in rage as his friends were clearly unintimidated by his inner self.

" _That's_ in Yusuke's soul?! _Too cute!_ " Botan chirped between laughs.

"Ha ha… _suits_ him!" Koenma laughed openly with his arms crossed. He tried to calm down, but he couldn't keep himself from giggling. "Gotta say, Yusuke… I'm _relieved!_ It's _no_ devil! Heh heh!"

"Ha ha ha!" Sayomi pointed at the beast and said, " _This_ is the beast that had you so _worried?!_ Ha ha! Just wait until _Keiko_ sees this!"

"I was thinking it'd look like _this!_ " Botan grinned as she described a serpent with a grumpy Yusuke head with a horn, fangs, and wings. "Hee hee hee!"

Yusuke couldn't hold back anymore. He whacked the back of Botan's head, hoping it would make him feel better. He only glared and grinded his teeth.

" _Ow!_ " Botan immediately brought her hands up to cover the bump on her head. She glared at Yusuke and said, "You _don't_ gotta thump _that_ hard!"

Sayomi laughed until she got it out of her system. Then she looked back at the beast and couldn't keep the grin off her face. _I knew he wasn't a bad guy, but this is just too funny!_

Yusuke led the way back to the hotel. Glaring ahead, he did his best to ignore the snickering behind him. Koenma disappeared as quickly as he came, but he didn't bother hiding his amusement as he left. Botan kept giggling behind her hands as she snuck glances on occasion. Sayomi smirked the whole way back, getting used to the idea of a soft Yusuke.

When they made it back, the sky was still dark with clouds, but no rain fell. They heard whispers and saw people pointing at them. Yusuke trudged straight ahead with the girls and cut off the gossip with the elevator doors. At their room, they could hear voices inside. Sayomi prepared herself for the show. Yusuke stomped into the room, giving everyone his best intimidating glare, despite the cute beast on his head.

"Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Atsuko, Yusuke's mother, pointed and laughed shamelessly at her son and the beast. Keiko didn't point, but she was just as open about her amusement.

" _That's the dreaded dire beast?! Hokey!_ " Kuwabara laughed until tears were spilling out of his eyes. The laughter was contagious. Botan and Sayomi both started laughing again as Yusuke grumpily sat down on the floor next to Keiko.

Atsuko sat in front of him, reclining back on her hands. She was wearing a simple red jogging suit. "It sure loves _perching_ on your _hollow head!_ "

Yusuke glared at his mother and growled, "It takes after _you,_ ya moron. I shoo it away, but it keeps coming back! If it takes a dump up there, I'll –"

"Never mind…" Kuwabara was the first to bring up their priority. "We gotta discuss the _semi-finals._ They start pretty soon, y'know."

Sayomi noticed a few bandages on the boy's face. He seemed almost better compared to just yesterday and she became curious. "But first, Kuwabara, how did you manage to heal so quickly?"

Kuwabara kept his serious expression, but he couldn't hide the blush on his cheeks. "It's all thanks to the power of love." Sayomi arched an eyebrow, urging him to explain. "My lovely Yukina met with me this morning to check on me. Just seeing her was enough to heal my aching body and heart."

Sayomi sighed and smiled. _I don't know whether to be happy for her or scared for her. At least I won't need to worry about him wasting my efforts to heal him anymore._

The group called in room service to deliver various snacks and drinks to the room. They briefed over what had happened so far, from the first fight on the boat to their most recent back-to-back matches.

"So there was no reason we _had to_ fight in any kind of _order!_ Lyin' bastards!" Yusuke crushed his empty can angrily.

Kuwabara stood up from the floor and slipped his hands into his pockets. "Wanna go check out the competition?"

Yusuke stood up angrily. He glared and clenched his fists, ready to punch someone. The beast still perched on his head. " _Yep! I'd like t' see whose head we're gonna bust open!_ "

"Peep!"

"Pfft!" Sayomi, Kuwabara, and Atsuko tried to hold in their laughter. They didn't try too hard. " _Ha ha ha ha ha!_ "

" _Shut up!_ " Yusuke yelled as he stormed out of the room.

Sayomi and Kuwabara followed after him, not bothering to hide their laughter. They sky had cleared while they were in the room, but the earth was still as dry as before.

"I don't know, Yusuke. I think it fits you really well." Sayomi grinned with her hands behind her head. "You're not as scary as you pretend to be."

"Haw haw haw! It's adorable! You're like a little girl!" Kuwabara laughed until Yusuke decked him in the gut. He coughed and still tried to laugh through the pain.

Yusuke ignored his friend and made a beeline for the stadium. Sayomi stalked behind him, smiling up at the blue beast. Eventually, Kuwabara caught up and put on his best serious expression. Sayomi could see the occasional twitch in his shoulders as he tried not to laugh.

When they made it to the stadium, a match was already underway. They met up with Hiei and Kurama on the top level balcony in front of an exit way. The Masked Fighter had shown up on her own about the same time as the thieves.

" _Toxic tulips!_ " Kuwabara's eyes widened with disbelief. "Fractured Fairytales _nailed_ that round in the _five minutes_ it took us to _get here?_ "

" _Two_ minutes, actually." Kurama held up two fingers.

"The other team _raised_ their game." Hiei seemed rather bored with the short match.

"Two minutes, huh? That's actually pretty impressive." Sayomi silently regretted ditching her training. _I would've liked to see that for myself._

"Yow! It's _Team Urameshi!_ "

"Don't _stare!_ Y'wanna get _killed?!_ "

The team ignored the crowd below them and decided to focus elsewhere.

Hiei glanced up at Yusuke and asked, "What's _that?_ A gift from your girlfriend?"

"No!" Yusuke clenched his teeth and crossed his arms. " _That_ I could get _rid of!_ "

"Trust me, Yusuke. You wouldn't get rid of _anything_ Keiko gives you." Sayomi smirked up at the teen.

"No one asked you, Sayomi." He turned to Kurama and asked, "How're _you_ doing, Kurama?"

"Don't worry, I'll be ready."

"Oh, no _doubt_ about that…" Hiei smirked up at the red-head. "…If the semi-finals were _next week_ instead of _tomorrow!_ "

Kurama sighed and said, "You think _only you_ can affect _stoicism?_ "

Sayomi began to chuckle under her breath when Hiei didn't retort. Then, Kuwabara turned to the red-head and gave a thumbs-up under his bandages. "Hey, Kurama, you should go see _Yukina!_ Your herbs an' her healing powers should _fix you_ right up!"

Sayomi's eye twitched as she was replaced as the team healer, too. _Not that I blame them. She's more suited for it than_ I _am._ She turned to see Hiei tense up at the mention of the ice maiden.

Kuwabara became serious as he clenched his fist with resolve. "'Course, she said she's _really_ here to _find her brother!_ When this tournament's done, I'm gonna _help_ her!"

"Sounds like a big job!" Kurama drawled, turning to the fire apparition. "Maybe _we_ could pitch in… eh, _Hiei?_ "

Sayomi smirked as Hiei became more uncomfortable by the minute. She could see his body quiver with restrained anger. _Heh. Don't you just love irony?_

"Yusuke…" Hiei approached the detective calmly. His tone, however, dripped with warning.

"Um…" Yusuke flinched.

Sayomi tried to hide her laughter. _I told him to keep his mouth shut. I remember he mentioned it before that he didn't know their relation. Good job, Yusuke._

" _Over there! That's them!_ "

The team looked across the stadium to see what the crowd was getting excited about. There were four figures standing on the balcony across the field. The Younger Toguro stood in his green trench coat and sports sunglasses. His older brother perched over his shoulder in a dark suit. There was a tall man with long black hair and a mask that covered the lower half of his face. He was wearing a long black coat with a large red collar. The last man stood in full body armor, complete with a helmet and mask.

" _Team Toguro!_ "

" _What're they looking at?!_ "

" _Team Urameshi!_ "

" _Who else?!_ "

" _Woot woot, Toguro!_ "

" _Toguro!_ "

" _Toguro!_ "

" _Toguro!_ "

" _Toguro!_ "

The two teams stared each other down, ignoring the crowd as they chanted for Toguro. Sayomi watched each of them carefully. _Who are the others? Yusuke mentioned there were actually two of the brothers, so the shoulder monkey must be the other one. Tall, dark and creepy over there doesn't look too strong, but that mask makes me nervous. As for the heavyweight, I just don't like the look of him. Why would he need so much armor?_

Then, the young Toguro brother pointed directly at Yusuke. He slowly turned his hand to point at himself, tapping his throat.

" _That's it, Toguro!_ "

" _Tell that human off!_ "

Yusuke brought his thumb up to his own throat and dragged it across.

"Heh…" Toguro chuckled and made his way to the exit.

Sayomi let out a slow breath, calming down from the tension in the air. Kurama and Hiei just kept their eyes on the retreating team.

"… Whoo boy… it just _hit_ me that…" Kuwabara was trembling as he broke into a sweat. "…Holy sheesh… at that _mansion_ we…" Kuwabara kept his teeth clenched, biting back his fear. "…I mean, I actually _fought_ that guy?!"

"And _learned_ what he can do. Since then…" Yusuke crossed his arms, staring after Toguro. "…You've gotten _stronger,_ but I doubt _he_ has! So you know more about him than _he_ knows _about you!_ " He turned to smirk at his friend, glad that he was relaxing again. "That's an edge _he_ taught me to appreciate."

"Hey, don't get _ahead_ of yourself… or _us!_ "

Sayomi and the others turned to their left to see a team of five demons walking towards them. One of them looked like a young boy, picking his nose with his pinky. He carried a fishing rod and wore a grass skirt with a light blue kimono top. He wore sandals on his feet and carried around a backpack.

In contrast, the tallest member had messy blond hair with a white headband tied around his forehead. He wore a pink vest with no shirt, red pants held up with a belt, and black boots. His headband, vest and belt had black peach symbols on them.

The third member had dark skin and black hair tied up, making him look like a pineapple. He had large muscles and sharp teeth, and wore nothing but a black loincloth belt and a cloth around his neck with kanji on it.

The fourth member was an old man with shoulder length gray hair, bushy eyebrows and a sagging mustache. He hunched over slightly and kept his hands clasped behind his back. He wore a simple black cap, a yellow kimono shirt under an orange vest, and brown pants tied with a black sash.

The last member had long blue hair tied back in a low ponytail and pink eyes. He wore a traditional samurai outfit with a white top and light blue hakama pants. A traditional katana hung at his waist.

Sayomi scowled. _Great. What do_ they _want?_

The blond spit out his gum and said, "Think you fight on the side of _right,_ eh?"

"Huh?" Yusuke and Kuwabara gave him a sideways glare, showing the other team no weakness.

" _We're_ here to build our rep… _You're_ just a bump along the way." The samurai smirked as he walked by Yusuke behind the old man. When he saw Sayomi, he smirked and winked at her.

Sayomi just glared at him.

Yusuke slipped his hands in his pockets and leaned back a bit. "From what _I_ see, I doubt you _clowns_ …" They stopped walking, waiting for him to finish speaking. Yusuke smirked and casually aimed at the samurai. "…have got _anything_ to build a rep _on!_ "

The samurai turned abruptly and pointed at Yusuke with a sinister grin. Two horns sprouted from the top of his head. His eyes became large and dilated and his teeth became razor sharp. "Don't let _appearances_ fool you!" With chuckles from his teammates, he turned to leave. "See ya soon… hee hee."

Yusuke pushed up his nostrils and gave them the most insulting look he could come up with on the spot. Kuwabara scoffed at them and said, "Feh! They're _maggots_ next to _Toguro._ "

"Damn right they are." Sayomi agreed and crossed her arms. "They're just lucky they _haven't_ been up against Toguro. They wouldn't even last _two minutes_."

"Yusuke…"

Yusuke looked down to see the Masked Fighter standing next to him. She looked up at him and whispered, "A _word,_ if I may…?" Without waiting for him to answer, she turned to leave with her hands behind her back.

Yusuke's eyes widened in recognition and he turned to her. "Hey, hold on… your _voice,_ it's…"

Sayomi watched Yusuke follow after her. She scowled and began to follow him when a strong hand grabbed her wrist. She sharply turned to glare at Hiei. "What? I need to make sure they don't –"

Hiei glared and tightened his grip, cutting her off. "You already skipped out this morning. You're not getting out of this again." Without acknowledging Kurama's or Kuwabara's confused staring, he dragged her out of the stadium and into the forest.

She kept quiet the whole way. She knew he was right. _Besides, I should be taking advantage of all the training I can get. And after my meditation this morning, I'm not as sure about what to do anymore. Yasuhiro isn't here to help, so what else should I do? The old man seemed okay with me learning to fight so I thought that's what I was_ supposed _to do. I knew the risk, but I didn't really understand it. Hell, I_ still _don't get it._

"Enough daydreaming. We've gone far enough."

Sayomi blinked back into reality. "I'm sorry. What?"

"Start your meditation." Hiei was glaring at her and he refused to repeat himself.

Sayomi sighed and crossed her arms. "I meditated this morning, actually."

Hiei stared at her and asked, "Did he show up again?"

Sayomi shook her head. "Not really. This was really different from before. I think it was a memory. It was very immersive, though."

"What happened?"

Sayomi sighed. She didn't want to relive it again, but she needed to share it with _somebody._ "It was the night we got separated. He did something to them. Covered them in shadows and they started screaming. I don't know what he did, but he was laughing about it."

Hiei watched her carefully. She looked pale and tense. Just talking about the past was enough to shake her up. "Do you still trust him after remembering something like that?"

"Well…" Sayomi bit her lip and looked down at the ground. "Seeing how he was back then, and how he is now, I can't really say I do or don't until I actually meet him again."

Hiei sighed and removed his cloak. He didn't have a shirt on and he left his Evil Eye covered. He unsheathed his katana and said, "Since you already meditated, that gives us more time for physical training."

Sayomi let out a sigh of relief as she reached for her kusarigama. She opened the bottom chamber to let the chain spill into her free hand. She spun the chain in front of her, putting up a shield of shadows.

Hiei disappeared from view and appeared just to her left, swinging his katana. Sayomi noticed him just in time to cover herself in her aura and become semi-corporal. The blade passed straight through wispy shadows and Hiei smirked at her quick reflexes.

Sayomi moved and solidified out of range of his sword. She threw her chain and tangled it with the blade. Then she rushed forward, tugging the chain and redirecting the blade to point to the ground. She brought the sickle down, but Hiei quickly dodged out of the way, relinquishing his weapon. Sayomi clicked her tongue and tried to scan for his aura.

He appeared directly in front of her and delivered a strong punch to her stomach. Sayomi was too slow and the wind was knocked out of her. She fell on her back and wheezed as she tried to get air into her lungs. Hiei glared down at her and said, "Get up. No real opponent would wait for you to catch your breath."

Sayomi glared at him and forced herself to sit up. She coughed a few times and made it to her feet. Once she was ready, she covered herself with her aura again and attacked. They exchanged blows, fire against shadows, without letting up. Punches and kicks were thrown and parried until Sayomi was knocked down again.

They continued their training until storm clouds began to cover the sky. Thunder rumbled in the distance and lightning flashed in closing proximity. They stopped just as the first raindrops began to fall. Sayomi was breathing heavily and she could feel her legs tremble from exhaustion. Hiei was covered in sweat and though his breathing was not as labored as Sayomi's, he was just as drained from the exertion.

They silently relaxed in the rain as it slowly began to increase. Hiei leaned back against the base of a tree while Sayomi leaned back against another. Sayomi kept her hood down and she rolled up her sleeves. She draped her arms over her raised knees to enjoy the water on her skin. The markings on her arms reminded her of a tiger, and they ended just over the backs of her hands.

Hiei stared at her arms in curiosity until she asked, "Do they bother you?"

He looked up to see her watching him. Her body was relaxed, but her eyes looked guarded. He closed his eyes and said, "Why would they? It's a sign of your power, isn't it?"

Sayomi looked down at her arms and her gaze became lighter as her focus wavered. "But power can change you, right? If you don't maintain control, it consumes you. Then what happens?"

Hiei didn't say anything. He stood up and slipped his cloak back on, preparing to leave. Sayomi watched him until he turned to her and extended his hand. She was shocked by the offer, but she accepted his hand and pulled herself up.

They had only walked for a few minutes before Sayomi had to lean against a tree for support. Her feet were muddy and her clothes stuck to her skin. When Hiei noticed, he stopped and turned to say, "You can't be serious. You're already about to collapse?"

Sayomi glared up at him and said, "Let's just say chips and soda don't make a great meal."

Hiei sighed and walked back to her. He kneeled in front of her with his back turned and just waited. Sayomi hesitated, confused by the gesture. She had apparently waited too long because Hiei felt obligated to say, "Hurry up. The sooner we get out of this rain, the better."

Sayomi sighed and climbed onto his back. _He has a point, but he could just go on ahead…_ She rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying his body heat. Despite his want to get out of the rain, he walked at a steady pace to avoid jarring her. _This feels pretty nice… So warm…_

They made it back to the hotel room to see Kurama and Kuwabara playing cards. They had snacks and drinks spread out on the table. Hiei's aura had heated him enough to dry. Sayomi had decided to take a warm shower to get out of her wet and muddy clothes.

When she stepped out, she heard more voices than before. _Who else is here?_

She got dressed in her spare clothes and wrapped herself in her old cloak. It was a soft comfort around her frame and it kept her warm against the cold draft. She stepped out of the bathroom and saw that the girls had joined them. _Yusuke's still not back…_

"Sayomi!"

Sayomi jumped as Botan popped into her view. The reaper was wearing a pink hoodie with a striped pink and white shirt and jeans. She wagged her finger and said, "We were wondering where you were. You know we haven't had any proper girl time since we met."

"Uh…" Sayomi blinked and stepped back. "Thanks, but I don't need –"

"Oh nonsense! You still haven't properly met everyone." Botan dragged her out into the living room and towards the girls.

"But I have. I just –"

"I found Sayomi! That's Keiko, Atsuko, Shizuru, and Yukina!" Botan pointed to each girl respectively.

Keiko laughed and said, "I remember you. I've seen you taking care of the guys out on the field."

"So you've been having to deal with Kazu's reckless ass. Sorry my little brother is such a pain." Shizuru smirked and took a sip from a beer can.

"I just try to keep them alive. I can't heal a thick skull, though." Sayomi snuck a glance over at the carrot-top.

"I guess that means that idiot son of mine is out of luck, too." Atsuko took a swig out of a sake bottle and grinned. "So are you ready for the semi-finals?!"

Sayomi turned to the guys, looking for help. Kuwabara and Kurama were huddled over cards and talking quietly among themselves. Hiei was sitting on the window sill, his arm resting on a raised knee, and staring out at the rain. _Damn, guess I'm stuck here._

Sayomi sighed and sat down, making sure she was covered in her cloak. _Can't let them see the tattoos._ "I'm just ready for this whole thing to be over already. I might just be bitter because I can't really fight."

"Who says you can't kick ass in the ring?" Shizuru's eyes darkened and her aura suddenly became ominous.

Sayomi smiled nervously and said, "It's just a tournament rule. Unless a team member dies, I can't step in. I don't want anyone to die though."

"That's probably a good thing." Yukina chimed in with a smile. "That saves your energy for healing everyone."

"Yeah, but Kuwabara usually needs to be healed twice or more. And I'm really not interested in healing as much as I am in fighting."

"Yeah!" Atsuko cheered. "'Atta girl!"

"Why is that, Sayomi?" Keiko asked.

"Well…" Sayomi scowled as she tried to put her thoughts into words. "I didn't really have a choice where I come from. They thought of women as strictly healers and I didn't want that. I just always wanted to fight. It looked more fun."

"You think fighting is fun? Doesn't it _hurt_ though?" Keiko couldn't understand the appeal of getting hit.

"You gotta know how to defend yourself, kiddo." Shizuru smiled and said, "Though with a slap like yours, I don't think you really need to worry."

"You look tired." Yukina observed in concern. "Should we leave so you can get some rest?"

Sayomi blinked her eyes at the ice maiden. "I wouldn't say you guys had to leave. I'm just a little worn out from training today."

"You were training?" The girls stared at her curiously.

"Yeah…" Sayomi didn't understand the looks she was being given.

"With _who?_ " Botan looked at her mischievously.

Keiko leaned forward and lowered her voice. "Was it with one of the guys?"

"Yeah, it was with Hiei." Sayomi felt uncomfortable under their stares. _Why are they looking at me like that?_

"What?!" Keiko's eyes widened as she snuck a quick glance over to the window.

"Isn't he tough on you?" Botan looked worried. "I imagine Kurama would be more lenient on you."

"Maybe, but it's because Hiei is so tough that I asked him to train me." Sayomi thought back to her first days training with him and couldn't regret her choice. "I can't get better if someone is going easy on me."

"Hiei can't be so bad if you can handle his training." Yukina smiled and Sayomi couldn't help smiling back at the girl. "Surely he isn't too rough with you."

Sayomi thought back to their walk to the room in the rain. She could feel herself heat up at the memory and tried to focus on the question. "Well, it's mostly negative reinforcement and very short breaks, if any."

"Oooh…" Botan smirked her cat-like grin and teased the shadow demoness. "You're blushing!"

Sayomi glared at the reaper and said, "Shut up, Botan. I just got caught in the rain earlier."

"With Hiei?" Yukina's soft voice took Sayomi off guard and she couldn't bring herself to be annoyed with the girl.

"Ummm, yeah…" Sayomi felt stuck. There was no way to convince them that they only trained together. _Just what are they trying to imply?_

Sayomi felt like she was being watched. She turned to the window and locked eyes with the fire demon in question. She felt herself stiffen and her body heat rise. She slowly looked away and bit her lip. _Why is he looking over here? Is he listening in? Why would he? Is it because of Yukina?_

She snapped back into the conversation when she felt a cold hand against her forehead. Yukina was looking at her in worry. "You seem to have a fever. Did you catch a cold in the rain?"

Sayomi stood up and smiled. "Maybe. I guess I should catch some sleep just in case."

"That sounds like a good idea, actually." Kurama cut into the girls' conversation. "We're going to need all the rest we can get."

The girls pouted but they agreed to let the fighters get their rest. Sayomi sighed in relief to have peace and quiet in the room again. "Thanks, Kurama. I didn't realize they had so much energy."

The red-head smiled at her and said, "I suppose they can seem overwhelming all at once like that."

Kuwabara tossed his cards on the table and yawned. "No kidding. Although I wouldn't mind if Yukina could stay with us."

There was a low growl from the window sill and Sayomi tried not to look in his direction. She could feel his eyes following her as she made her way to the bed. "Goodnight, guys. Hopefully Yusuke and the Masked Fighter will meet us in time for the match."

"Yes. It would leave us at quite a disadvantage." Kurama cautioned.

"Hn." Hiei grunted from the window. "I could handle them myself if necessary."

Sayomi looked at Hiei with an arched brow. "You're not the only member of the team, Hiei. Besides, didn't they beat their last opponents in two minutes?"

Hiei glared at her and said, "Not is not so impressive."

"Really? Sounds pretty impressive to me."

Hiei's eyes narrowed, silently threatening her to speak. Sayomi sighed and turned to face away from him. "Just don't get too cocky or you'll get yourself killed." Hiei growled low in his throat, but she ignored him and slipped into sleep.

Kurama and Kuwabara exchanged glances and got ready for bed. Hiei grunted and turned back to watch the rain fall outside. Kurama smirked to himself as he watched his partner before turning in himself. Kuwabara tried to ignore the tension in the room and dozed off.


	25. Chapter 25

The next morning, the new stadium was much larger and more ominous. Military grade helicopters hovered around the building, transporting wealthy businessmen. Unlike the old stadium, the new one had a domed roof blocking out the sunlight. Spikes were scattered across the roof and the perimeter had smaller chambers that made up the stands inside. Inside, there were four levels of seating. The walls and seats looked alien and the ring was bigger than the last one.

At the center of the ring, the spotlights shone on the announcer. She was a water sprite demon with blue fins for ears and a matching tail. Her skin was tanned and she had long green hair tied in a low tail and violet eyes. She wore black tights that exposed her midriff, arms, and from the mid-thighs down. She had pink fabric tied around her hips and across her chest and shoulders with a matching cap. She wore matching red arm and leg warmers with black shoes and a thin purple choker. She had just a touch of purple eye shadow and lipstick.

She held up a mic and opened her arm to the crowd as she started the event. "I'm Juri, your semifinals referee! Thank you for your patience! Please give a warm welcome to the teams for the first match!"

"And we're off!" Koto spoke from a booth in the seats at the front row. "This is Koto and I'll be bringing you the play-by-play, moment by moment!"

A door on each side of the ring opened to reveal the two teams. On Team Urameshi were Kuwabara, Hiei, Kurama, and Sayomi. Kuwabara had his jacket hanging open on his shoulders. He wore a white muscle shirt tucked into his blue pants and his arms were wrapped in bandages. Kurama wore a yellow Chinese martial arts outfit with a blue trim and matching sash. Long white sleeves and white pants could be seen underneath. Sayomi had changed back into her long-sleeved shirt with the hood down and her usual cargo pants. Hiei stuck to his usual cloak and black sweatpants. On the other side, Team Uraotogi walked in with all of their members present and ready to fight.

Juri waved the teams forward and said, "And here they come! Whee!"

"What's _this?_ Team Urameshi's down by _two!_ "

"Bet they turned _yella_ and ran off!"

Sayomi glared at their opponents as they met at the center of the ring. She especially didn't like the way the samurai was looking at her. He looked too smug, like he was so much better than them for whatever reason.

"They all right? Did they…" The samurai chuckled to himself. "Heh heh… get cold feet?"

Kuwabara clenched his teeth and said, "You're just not _worth_ their trouble."

Sayomi smirked when they scowled. "What? Did he hurt your ego?" She grinned when he glared at her. _Thought so, pretty boy._

"Team captains will now decide the mode of competition!" Juri announced to the crowd, signaling the teams to get started.

"Why bother?" Hiei scowled. "Let's just _do_ it."

Sayomi glanced at him and raised a curious brow. _What are you doing, Hiei?_

The blond blew a bubble from his gum and said, "Feelin' _feisty_ , eh, kid? Wanna be first up?"

"First…" Hiei smirked. "And _last?_ Normally I wouldn't _bother_ with _your sort…_ "

The blonde's bubble popped as he stared down at the runt.

"…But I've been in a real _bad mood_ lately…" Hiei flexed his bandaged right arm anxiously. "…And I need to _work_ _off_ some _stress._ "

Sayomi thought back and tried to think of what had made him so mad. _Was it something I did?_

"Heh… Cool down bud." The samurai pulled something small from his pockets. "We can let _these_ decide." He opened his hand to show a set of dice with kanji painted on them. "I've put our names on these dice, along with 'choice.' If that comes up, _your_ team gets to pick their contender. And you can fight as often as your name comes up – as long as you're still _breathing_ , that is."

"Fine, whatever," Hiei agreed. " _I'll_ fill in for Yusuke and Mask, of course."

"As you like," the samurai smirked and tossed the dice. "No fame in winning by default, that's for sure."

Sayomi watched the dice until they landed with two names facing up: Evil Kintaro and Hiei. She looked up at her teammate and bit her lip nervously. _Just don't get too hasty…_

"So _I'm_ first up _anyway._ " Hiei stepped forward, smirking up at his opponent.

"Too bad for _you,_ shrimp." The muscle man curled his biceps and clenched his fists, grinning down at Hiei. Hiei just smirked, not bothering to respond verbally. Sayomi felt a shiver run down her spine at the look.

"First match is Hiei vs. Evil Kintaro!" Juri announced with extra pep. "Guess we're in for a series of one-on-ones determined by a roll of the dice! _Begin!_ "

Evil Kintaro grinned as he stared down at his opponent. "So, runt… Heh… _Who'll_ make the _first move,_ eh?"

"Wow!" Koto exclaimed. "Already we have a _standoff!_ "

Hiei drew his katana, keeping his glare trained on Evil Kintaro.

"A _sword?_ " Evil Kintaro feigned fascination. "Well, well…"

"So much for that," Kurama commented. Kuwabara and Sayomi looked up at the red-head curiously, Kuwabara with his arms crossed and Sayomi with an arched brow.

Sayomi's attention snapped back to the ring to see blood dripping behind Hiei. _Is he bleeding or…_ Her eyes widened when she realized what happened. _Oh…_

Evil Kintaro continued to grin at Hiei. "So? You gonna _use_ that? Or are you just gonna stand there sweatin' blood?"

"Give me a break." Hiei watched his opponent, boredom dominating his tone and expression. "Haven't you _noticed_ yet?"

"Noticed _what?_ " Evil Kintaro sneered. "Your _lack of action? C'mon_ , at least give it a _try!_ "

"No sweat." Hiei smirked and held up the severed arm from behind his back.

Evil Kintaro looked at the arm, then looked down to see the blood flow from the stub of his remaining arm. His eyes widened as he processed what had happened before he let out a frightened scream. " _Aaaagh!_ "

Hiei turned away and threw the arm over his shoulder. "Way too easy."

" _Grrarr!_ " Evil Kintaro clutched at his wound in pain. He gritted his teeth and growled, " _You'll pay for that!_ "

Sayomi cringed as his wound began to regenerate. However, instead of his old right hand, he had an ax at the end of his new arm.

" _Battle Axe Fist!_ " Evil Kintaro shouted angrily and jumped. " _Hah!_ "

Hiei turned at Evil Kintaro's shout just in time to see the axe coming down. The ax split the swordsman straight down the middle. " _Heh! Nailed 'im!_ "

"Just my _afterimage._ " Hiei was kneeling on Evil Kintaro's hunched back, his katana held up in his hand with the blade pointing down. His cloak was left discarded on the ring in halves. He was wearing a light blue sleeveless shirt tucked into his double-belted pants.

" _Huh?_ " Evil Kintaro blinked, slowly processing the weight on his back and the words spoken behind him. Then the blade was brought straight down, piercing his skull and stabbing through his bottom jaw. "Blug…!"

Kuwabara's eyes were wide open in shock while Kurama simply closed his eyes and sighed. Sayomi felt her jaw hang open in disbelief. _Okay… That was pretty impressive…_

As Evil Kintaro collapsed forward, Hiei flipped off and landed on his feet with his hands in his pockets. He turned to face the blue-haired samurai and pointed at him. "Roll 'em, bud. Any bets on whether it'll be _my turn_ again?"

" _Evil Kintaro is down and clearly out of the fight!_ " Juri announced. " _The winner of the first match is Hiei!_ "

"Blimey! That was _quick!_ " Koto exclaimed from her seat. " _Sorry, blow-by-blow fans, but that was too fast to follow!_ "

"Roll the dice," Hiei ordered confidently. "I'm itching for another."

" _Cocky_ runt, ain'tcha!" The samurai tossed the dice, scowling at the fire apparition. The dice clattered on the ring floor and rolled to a stop. Poison Peach Boy and choice were facing up.

Sayomi scowled. _Is no one else gonna volunteer? Really wish I could jump in on this one…_

Without hesitation, Hiei stood his ground in the ring and clenched his fists. "We picked our contender… and once again, it's _me!_ "

Juri waved the blond forward and said, " _For the second match, it's Hiei vs. Poison Peach Boy!_ "

Sayomi glared up at Hiei in the ring. _What are you doing, Hiei? I thought I told you_ not _to get too cocky over these fights._

Without turning to face her, Hiei replied. _You just sit back and watch. I'll finish this round myself._

 _Why do you feel obligated to do something like that? Aren't we supposed to be a_ team?

Hiei's eyes narrowed as he glared at the blond who still hadn't stepped into the ring. _I don't need a team. The fox is too soft and the oaf will only hinder our victory. You're obviously barred from the matches so that leaves me._

Sayomi clenched her fists and took slow, deep breaths. _What's got you in such a bad mood anyway? Was it something_ I _did? Or are you really not recovered yet?_

 _Do I really need to answer such ridiculous questions?_

" _Forward!_ " Juri beckoned both fighters to the center.

Poison Peach Boy made his way into the ring and he walked towards his fallen teammate. He squatted down and grabbed Hiei's sword, pulling it free from the corpse. "Too bad about Evil Kintaro. Still, if you ask me, he wasn't that much to begin with." Once he had the sword, Poison Peach Boy kicked Evil Kintaro's body out of the ring.

Kuwabara clenched his teeth and glared up at the blond. Sayomi and Kurama glared at the disrespectful act. Hiei just watched, showing no reaction.

"Don't expect your tricks to work on me." Poison Peach Boy smirked and dragged his tongue along the sword's blade. Then he held it up, admiring the weapon. "Nice sword."

"Keep it if you like." Hiei crossed his arms. "I'll take your _life_ as an even trade."

"That so?" Poison Peach Boy took a few practice swings in the air. Then he casually brought his free hand up and sliced off his fingers. "Much obliged."

Hiei's eyes widened and Sayomi felt her mouth drop in shock. _Is he crazy?!_

" _Hee hee hee hee!_ " Poison Peach Boy laughed out loud, grinning as he watched the blood squirt out of his severed fingers. " _Whoo man, that smarts! That's one sharp blade!_ "

The crowd murmured in shock and disgust. "This guy some kinda _lunatic?!_ "

" _Idiot whacked off his own fingers!_ "

"Hee hee hee…" Poison Peach Boy reached for his belt as he laughed off the pain. "I've just _realized_ that sharpness! And now…" He held up a sphere with a black peach symbol stamped on it. He was sweating and his eye twitched from the throbbing he felt in his hand. "A _millet dumpling!_ "

He crushed the sphere in his hand, releasing steam from the inside. He inhaled deeply and exhaled the steam from his mouth in a puff of white smoke. " _Heh heh heh…_ " Dark fur began to grow from his arms, chest, and face. His ears tapered to points and his fingers grew back into place. He clenched his fists and grinned as his aura began to fluctuate with new power. " _Beast Armor One – Demon Simian Pelt!_ "

"Wow!" Koto exclaimed. "That was one _super-potent snack!_ His demonic aura's power is _surging!_ You can _feel_ it!"

" _Begin!_ " Juri announced cheerfully.

"Here! You can have this _back!_ " Poison Peach Boy tossed the sword back to Hiei with a smirk. "For all the _good_ it'll do you!"

"Hmm…" Hiei snatched the hilt from the air easily with one hand. Then he quickly sprung himself forward, using his hand to accelerate. "… _We'll see!_ "

Hiei was in front of Poison Peach Boy instantly, catching the tall fighter off guard. With a swift slash to the right, the sword connected with Poison Peach Boy's right arm. The sword broke into pieces on impact, catching the swordsman by surprise.

" _Heh…_ " Poison Peach Boy smirked and jumped. " _Hmmph!_

"You're _slow,_ kid." Hiei's eyes widened as Poison Peach Boy appeared directly to his right. He had his arms held over his head, covering a fist with his hand. Without hesitation, he swung his hands down to hit Hiei on the back of his neck, smacking him down.

" _Good gosh!_ " Kuwabara's eyes widened and he gritted his teeth.

"Hiei!" Sayomi watched as he hit the ground and started skidding across the field, crashing into the wall. When the dust settled, Hiei was kneeling on one knee and glaring up at his opponent.

" _Geez Lou-eez!_ " Kuwabara exclaimed, surprised by Hiei's pain tolerance.

Sayomi clenched her fists, fighting to stay where she was. She relaxed slightly when she saw him get to his feet. _He's okay. Thank goodness, he's okay._

"He knocked _Hiei_ clean _across_ the arena!" The crowd was just as shocked by the accomplishment.

"Hee hee…" The samurai just smirked, expecting the turn of events.

" _He's still up!_ "

" _There's no winner yet!_ "

" _Stomp 'im!_ "

" _Pound 'im!_ "

" _Slice 'im!_ "

" _Mash 'im!_ "

" _Skin 'im!_ "

"He's using a _customized_ technique!" Sayomi looked up at Kurama curiously. He looked tense about his observation. "If he gets _control_ of the contest, Hiei could be in _trouble!_ "

"I don't like the sound of that…" Sayomi turned back to see Hiei getting to his feet.

Poison Peach Boy smirked at Kurama's deduction and revealed his secret. "My body _memorizes_ an opponent's attacks, while the dumplings give me the ability to withstand damage, overcome it and become even _stronger_ for it!" He spread his legs and clenched his fist in front of himself as he yelled, " _So try your Blazing Fist of the Overlord, Shrimp! My body will memorize its intensity and throw it back at you!_ "

Hiei glared at Poison Peach Boy and removed his white headband, throwing it away. His Evil Eye opened and his hair flared up out of his view. He faced his opponent openly and gathered his aura around his fists. "Sure… Why not?"

" _That's it!_ " Poison Peach Boy grinned and flexed his hands greedily. " _Gimme the works! It's the last pitch you'll ever make to me, I guarantee it!_ "

"Get _ready,_ then…" Hiei stood his ground, focusing his aura into his right fist. "…Here it _comes!_ "

"Now for the _Black Dragon!_ " Kuwabara cheered. "That _bozo_ won't know what _hit 'im!_ "

"Don't count on it." Kurama spoke with certainty and Sayomi began to worry as she watched Hiei.

"What? _Why?_ " Kuwabara turned to the red-head.

"The Black Dragon embodies the flames of Hell and can only exist in miasma. To summon it into the Human World, Hiei has to lure it with an immense outpouring of aura. He nearly lost his right arm in the battle against Zeru because he really didn't have enough. Which, in hindsight, suggests those flames were of the Human World. He's down to 60-70% of his usual level of aura, so summoning the dragon's out of the question."

" _60%?! Geez!_ " Kuwabara cringed back. "He _looks like_ he's at _600%!_ "

Sayomi shivered at the red-head's information. _If that's true, then why is he pushing himself so much? Hiei, you better not get yourself killed…_

Hiei dashed forward, his right fists engulfed in red flames. " _Eat this!_ "

" _Sure!_ " Poison Peach Boy grinned and stood his ground, leaving himself wide open to attack.

Hiei closed in and delivered a strong punch to his opponent's stomach followed by a second burning punch across the face. " _Overlord Purgatory Scorch!_ "

" _Eeyaah!_ " Poison Peach Boy yelled out in agony. He wobbled as he tried to stay on his feet, leaning more to the right away from the smoke that rose from his scorched fur. " _Yiiee!_ "

Hiei smirked and relinquished the flames from his fist. "Seems I don't _need_ the Demon Flame! _Regular fire's_ more than enough to flatten _you!_ "

"Hee hee… Heh heh…" Hiei's eyes widened as his opponent began to laugh despite the pain. " _Ha ha ha ha!_ That attack… is _memorized!_ "

" _Poison Peach Boy's still standing!_ " Koto announced from the stands. " _Looks like he can back up his boasts!_ "

"Yeah, well so can Hiei." Sayomi muttered under her breath. She refused to believe Hiei would let himself lose to anyone. _Stubborn as he is, he won't let anyone keep him down._

"Heh heh heh heh…" Poison Peach Boy grabbed another sphere from his belt and squeezed it. The fumes escaped his grasp and he inhaled them with one deep breath. His muscles began to flex and his bones cracked as they seemed to shift. His skin went from tan to a shade of blue. His dark fur began to recede as bright yellow feathers grew in its place, extending from his arms like wings and spiking out around his face. His voice screeched as he laughed. " _Ha ha ha ha! You'll have to try something else! Beast Armor Two – Demon Avian Pelt!_ "

" _Second transformation for Poison Peach Boy!_ " Koto was impressed by the new form. " _His aura level and appearance are off the charts!_ "

"Dammit! _Really?!_ " Sayomi growled angrily.

" _Ho ho ho!_ " Poison Peach Boy jumped straight up and hovered in the air with his wings. He grinned as he dived down and punched Hiei in the face, knocking him down.

Hiei flipped at the last moment and dashed to the side, spitting out some blood. He dashed around his opponent, leaving multiple afterimages behind. Poison Peach Boy swiped at one and growled when he hit nothing but air. Hiei took advantage of the few seconds of distraction and appeared right in front of Poison Peach Boy. He covered both fists in red flames and threw punch after punch after punch directly into his open torso. " _Haah!_ "

Poison Peach Boy smirked, unfazed by the fire this time. His vest, however, was charred and in tatters from the attack.

Hiei gritted his teeth, his eyes wide and annoyed. "He _is_ getting tougher!"

Poison Peach Boy took advantage of Hiei's hesitation and swiped down at the swordsman. Hiei sensed the attack in time to jump back out of the way. Poison Peach Boy's clawed hand crashed into the stadium floor, leaving a crater of broken tile.

"Huh?!" Hiei saw Poison Peach Boy disappear from view. Sayomi gasped when she saw the yellow feathers appear just behind Hiei and kick him back down to the ring.

"Hah!" Poison Peach Boy grinned, his eyes wide open with excitement. "I _beat_ you—in speed _and_ power now!"

Hiei struggled back to his feet, bracing his hands on his knees. He was covered in scrapes and bruises, but he still glared up at his opponent in defiance. "So it seems."

Sayomi clenched her teeth and glared at Poison Peach Boy. _That damn coward! Without those spheres, he would've died a long time ago! How many more of those does he have, anyway? He's already immune to Hiei's sword and his flames, so what next? Hiei looks pretty beat up already. I don't know if he could win if the chicken transforms again._

"Heh heh… Guess you're _stumped,_ huh?" Poison Peach Boy reached for another sphere, taunting the swordsman. "But I won't take _chances!_ I'll seal your _defeat!_ Time to enjoy…" He squeezed the sphere and inhaled the fumes. " _The ultimate snack!_ "

" _Mreow!_ " Koto exclaimed, her ears at alert and her fur standing on end. " _Another dramatic transformation! Hiei's got himself in a deep ditch now!_ "

"Oh _c'mon!_ " Sayomi yelled, annoyed with the transformations.

Poison Peach Boy lost the feathers and grew more dark fur. His hair turned white and grew down to his shoulders. His ears pointed like a canine's and his nose and mouth grew into a snout. Large teeth grew in his mouth and his skin shifted from blue to brown. He grinned down at Hiei and introduced his third form. " _Demon Canine Pelt!_

"Harf harf harf…" Poison Peach Boy's laugh sounded vaguely like a barking dog. "I'm now your _worst nightmare!_ " He held up a clawed hand and growled, "You've got a _powerful aura,_ kid, but that won't protect you from _these_ fangs and claws!"

Hiei shifted his footing until he came across his broken sword. He stared down at it and reluctantly reached down for it. "Feh!" He tossed up the hilt and caught it again, staring at Poison Peach Boy with an annoyed expression. "I was hoping to _avoid_ doing this…"

"Heh…" Poison Peach Boy smirked. "Don't go trying any mind games. You saying you have an ace in the hole? I _don't_ think so!"

"No…" Hiei stared at his opponent, bleeding from his mouth and various scratches. "…No ace, just a move… I really don't _like_ to use."

"Shee…" Kuwabara shivered at his teammates tone. " _What_ could make Hiei _hesitate?!_ Must be _fierce,_ whatever it is!"

Sayomi watched Hiei curiously. "Whatever it is, I just hope it's enough. Otherwise he's screwed."

Poison Peach Boy's new form seemed to be his fastest. He was gone from view as soon as he started speaking. " _I was hoping your last words would be just a bit more interesting!_ "

He latched onto Hiei from the front and chomped down into his right shoulder. Blood began spilling from the wound in excess. Sayomi and her teammates could only watch in stunned silence at the amount of blood Hiei was losing.

Then, Poison Peach Boy was cut in half at the waist, spilling blood, intestines, and bones. The attack forced the wolf to release Hiei, scratching his other shoulder and tearing skin in the process. Hiei was wielding half a sword that was covered in black and blue flames.

" _What in—?!_ " The samurai was left speechless, not expecting the new attack.

" _Blazing Sword of the Overlord!_ " Hiei swung his flaming weapon, ignoring his bleeding shoulders.

" _A flame sword?!_ " Kurama exclaimed in wonder.

"That's not just _any_ flame, either." Sayomi stared at the weapon in awe. _He was able to summon the black flames after all. That's a relief._

"Th-that looked like _my_ Aura Sword…" Kuwabara muttered to himself. "…Except mine's a _candle,_ his is a _blowtorch!_ Um…" Kuwabara's eye twitched as he connected dots in his head. "… _Hang on_ a sec!" He glared at Hiei and threw up his arms in anger. "You _didn't like_ using an ability that resembled _mine?!_ "

Hiei smirked over his shoulder at human and said, "Heh… got it in _one!_ "


	26. Chapter 26

Poison Peach Boy fell to the ring in halves. Blood spilled from his severed waist and his eyes stared open in shock, even after death.

Juri lifted her hand and gestured towards Hiei. " _Poison Peach Boy's out of the fight! Another win for Hiei!_ "

" _Hiei sliced Peach Boy wide open, folks! What a contender!_ " Koto exclaimed excitedly.

Hiei ignored the commotion and picked up his shawl from the ground. He carefully wrapped his bleeding shoulder where Poison Peach Boy bit him. Sayomi scowled at the makeshift bandage and sighed, shaking her head.

" _Hounds of Hades! He nearly did it!_ "

"Nearly ain't _enough!_ Can't _anyone_ nail this brat?"

Hiei turned to the samurai and said, "Roll 'em again. Third time's the _charm._ "

The samurai tossed the dice. Kurama and Kuwabara watched them closely. Hiei and the red-head looked eager for their names to come up while Kuwabara looked nervous. When the dice came up Reverse Urashima and Kurama, the red-head and human let out sighs of relief.

"Feh!" Hiei glared at the dice with his arms crossed.

"Third match is Kurama vs. Reverse Urashima!" Juri announced as the two fighters stepped up to the ring.

Sayomi chuckled to herself at Hiei's expense. She stopped and smirked when he glared at her. "How's your shoulder? You sure you don't need any healing?"

"I'm fine. Why don't you get ready to heal Kurama instead? No doubt he'll need it." Hiei turned to observe Kurama's opponent.

"Can't really talk considering how beat up _you_ got by that last guy alone." Sayomi crossed her arms and looked at his other shoulder where he was scratched. She sighed and said, "At least let me heal the wound you couldn't wrap."

Hiei glanced down at his left shoulder and rolled his eyes. "Fine. Do as you will."

Sayomi's eyes widened slightly at his acceptance, but she covered it with a smile and lifted her hand to his wound. She covered it in shadows and started healing the scratches.

" _Begin!_ " Juri announced.

Reverse Urashima pulled out his fishing rod while Kurama summoned his Rose Whip.

"Contestants are wielding similar weapons!" Koto observed. "This could turn into an exciting _test_ of relative skill!"

" _Hah!_ " Reverse Urashima struck first, sending his fishing line at his opponent. Kurama calmly blocked it with his whip. They continued to exchange blows as they started running down the ring.

"What'd I tell ya?! _Amazing!_ " Koto watched the match with wide eyes, surrounded by equally impressed apparitions. "There're real sparks flying between them!"

Kurama's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed his opponent.

"Keep it up, and just listen."

Kurama watched Reverse Urashima curiously, keeping up with his attacks.

"I don't want to win… In fact, I want to _die!_ "

Kurama's eyes widened by the news and he faltered in his attacks.

"No! Don't stop!" Reverse Urashima warned quietly. Kurama resumed his normal attack patterns.

"We are the spawn of the festering grudges of folktale villains and characters that did not enjoy happy endings. The heroes sent us to our graves while extolling virtue! We arose to take revenge on their descendants and the equally hypocritical readers!" Reverse Urashima watched Kurama, keeping eye contact as he continued his attacks. "It's that _resentment_ that's caused my return as an _evil spirit._ I was given the Magic Box! Why, if I was never supposed to _open_ it? Did I _deserve_ that fate after saving the turtle? I _considered_ revenge, sure… but in the end, what's the _point?_ Our tales teach people valuable lessons… and I can't resent _that!_ "

Kurama listened to the young boy, gauging his sincerity. He sounded genuinely grieved and ashamed of his past.

"You _attack,_ I'll trip…" Reverse Urashima swiped at Kurama's legs, making the red-head jump up out of the way. "…And that'll be your _cue_ to do me in."

"I'll play along…" Kurama countered the fisherman's rod with his whip. "…But I'll pass on doing you in. Find a new purpose in life. I did. _So can you!_ "

Reverse Urashima smiled as tears began to blur his vision. "You really are _nice._ "

Reverse Urashima soon made his move. He attacked Kurama a couple of times before losing his footing. "Unh!"

Kurama took his chance and cracked his whip for a direct attack. Reverse Urashima smirked and disappeared from view. Kurama's eyes widened in surprise, taken off guard by the dodge. Then, Reverse Urashima attacked Kurama directly from behind with his fishing rod.

" _Urf!_ " Kurama lost his weapon and he landed hard on right side. He bled from the cuts caused by the fishing wire.

" _Kurama's down!_ " Juri yelled into her mic.

"Heh heh… Hee hee…" Reverse Urashima reeled in Kurama's whip and pointed down at the red-head, laughing until tears spilled from his eyes. "Ha ha ha! Unbelievable! You actually _fell_ for that! Nice guys finish _last,_ ya moron! Don't you know that?!"

"Heh…" The samurai smirked.

"Grrrr…" Sayomi glared up at the short fighter, her eyes getting slightly darker. "They're just gonna let that slide?"

Reverse Urashima destroyed the whip and slipped a hand into his pocket. He smirked down at Kurama and said, "Smart, but a _sucker_ for sob stories, I guess. Y'see, pure evil _never_ has a change of heart."

Kurama looked up at him as he tried to get back to his feet.

"The Fractured Fairy Tales sure know how to spin a yarn!" Koto complimented the manipulation. "We've just seen Kurama wade into one of their traps!"

" _And serves you right!_ " Reverse Urashima dashed forward, slashing his line at Kurama.

"Unh!" Kurama's wounds throbbed and bled as he dodged the line on his hands. He ran and jumped to avoid getting struck again. Before long, he felt a wire cut into his leg and he stopped running.

"Ah… I _wondered_ when you'd _see_ what I was _up to._ " Reverse Urashima smirked down at his opponent. Kurama looked around to see the whole perimeter of the ring fenced in with wire. "You're now _penned_ in by my _force field._ "

Koto stood in her seat and smacked her hands on her desk. "The ring's been webbed in by shimmering threads! I can just make out a needle securing one of them…"

Reverse Urashima slipped his backpack off and presented it for everyone to see. "With the right tool, even I can make force fields like Luka's. You can't escape. Now for the _Reverse Magic Box!_ In the story I opened a box that instantly aged me…" His eyes narrowed as he smirked. "…But _this_ box does the _opposite!_ To anyone but _me,_ that is! I _hate_ tall, handsome guys… and this is how I _get back_ at 'em! By the way, what's with your _name?_ I knew _another_ Kurama who was the _very personification of utter evil!_ You like to be _mistaken_ for him or something?"

Kurama kept a calm glare on his opponent, refusing to answer.

"Heh heh…" Reverse Urashima chuckled as he rested his hand on the box lid. "You have his _glare…_ which always _pissed_ me off." He opened the box and a plume of white smoke began to obscure the whole ring from view. " _I'm gonna reduce you to an embryonic state! Then squash you like a bug!_ "

Sayomi, Hiei, and Kuwabara watched as the ring became covered in white smoke.

"That smoke's staying in the ring!" Kuwabara noted in shock.

"It's being contained by the force field." Hiei watched the ring with a bored expression.

"Well that sucks. Now we can't see what's going on. Unless…" Sayomi switched to her infrared vision, hoping to catch their body heat. She was able to get a fuzzy view of the two fighters but she was a bit confused. _That's odd…_

Back in the ring, Reverse Urashima was grinning in the smokescreen. " _Yeeess… I feel it! Your aura's fading!_ " Then he blinked in confusion as he felt nothing at all. "Eh? Did I _overdo_ it? His aura's completely _gone!_ But…" A shiver ran through his whole body as the aura around him spiked.

" _Huh?!_ " Kuwabara's and Hiei's eyes widened in shock.

Sayomi felt her body tremble from the powerful aura that began to permeate through the air. _Is he really…?_

Reverse Urashima began to shake and his voice became higher pitched from fear. "His aura! It's _back!_ But _far more powerful!_ How? It should be a _bare glimmer_ of…"

The crowd in the stands began to complain and riot from the lack of a show.

"We can't _see_ anything!"

"What a _gyp!_ I demand a _refund!_ "

In the ring, a white apparition emerged from the smoke. His voice was deep and smooth, calm yet dangerous. "I did not expect to _ever again_ assume the form… _of the Fox Demon!_ " He was tall with long silver hair and intelligent golden eyes. White fox ears sprouted from his head and a silver tail swished behind him. He had pale skin and was dressed in a white tunic with matching pants and shoes.

Reverse Urashima became pale as he stared up at the legendary thief. "Oh gosh… Oh golly gosh… y-you mean you really… _are_ that notorious fiend… _The Demon Fox Kurama?!_ " He began to weep as he fell back on his butt.

"Well… Uh… Heh…" Juri stood in the ring, shrunk down to a child due to the smoke. She looked up at the fox, speechless and unaware of what to do.

Kurama smirked and said, "One and the same, my friend. And you have incurred my _wrath!_ "

" _Can't see anything down there!_ "

" _Yeah! Who the heck's smokin' up the joint?!_ "

"This is _incredible!_ " Kuwabara broke into a nervous sweat. He felt his body temperature drop from the amount of aura he was sensing from the ring. " _Who_ could generate such a _fiercely intense_ aura?!"

"Is that really him?" Sayomi couldn't tear her eyes away from the ring until Hiei confirmed her fears.

"Hmph…" Hiei smirked and crossed his arms. "No one but Kurama. His nitwit opponent induced a reversion back to his pre-human form. _Very bad move._ "

Kuwabara looked down at the swordsman, trying to keep his composure. "S-so that's a view of Kurama's _true_ power?!"

"Never seen it in full bloom myself – until now." Hiei watched the ring with interest. "Sure would like to take him on in this form."

"That's _nuts!_ " Kuwabara exclaimed.

"What happened to it being smarter _not_ to fight him?" Sayomi glanced over at Hiei curiously. He ignored her and kept his eyes on the ring. She scowled and followed his example. _Kurama, is that really you in there? If so, you're not really as evil as they say. Not anymore at least…_

In the ring, Kurama loomed over Reverse Urashima and said, "Hmm… How shall I deal with you?"

" _The smoke isn't clearing off!_ " Koto announced. "Juri! You're in there somewhere! What can you _see?!_ "

"Um… Well…" Juri sat still, trembling in her over-sized clothes.

Kurama reached back into his hair and pulled out a seed. He held it in his palm and willed it to grow. Large vines wrapped around his arm and behind his back. At the end of each vine was a flower that bloomed into open mouths. "Shall I let this man-eating plant devour you?!"

"Yaah!" Reverse Urashima screamed and tried to scoot back as far as he could from the botany. " _No! Spare me, please! I'll do anything you ask!_ "

"Then tell me this… What's the secret to this smoke?" Kurama glared down at his opponent and let the plants gravitate towards the scared fighter.

"Huh?" Reverse Urashima held up his hands to keep the carnivorous plant away. "I… I _don't know! Shishiwakamaru_ gave it to me! Ask him!"

"I'm asking _you._ Now, talk." Kurama stalked closer. "If you _lie,_ I will _know,_ and then…"

"I… I'm _not_ even Urashima!" The fisherman confessed in fear. "I was promised anything I wanted if we won! And I'm not the _only one!_ Evil Kintaro, Peach Boy, they _all…_ "

Reverse Urashima was cut off mid-sentence as a katana crashed through the force field and struck him through the neck. He squealed in pain as he morphed into a demon pig with a grass skirt. He was dead within seconds.

"An illusion beast…" Kurama muttered in disappointment.

Meanwhile, Sayomi and the others watched as the ring began to clear. Sayomi sighed in relief and switched out of her infrared vision.

"The smoke's _clearing off!_ " Kuwabara exclaimed.

"Shishiwakamaru's _sword_ did the trick, folks!" Koto announced with barely contained anticipation. "Smoke's gone… but _what's this?!_ "

Kurama stood in the ring in his full demon form. At his feet was the beast with the samurai's sword in its neck.

"The… Fox Demon?" Kuwabara watched Kurama nervously.

"He's… beautiful…" Sayomi couldn't think of another word to describe him.

As the smoke cleared, Kurama began to change. His silver strands became red and his eyes shifted back to green. His ears were replaced by normal human ears and his tail vanished. Instead of the all-white ensemble, he was dressed in his original clothing. Juri happily grew back into her clothing.

"Wow! That was _Kurama?!_ " Koto's eyes were wide from shock. "He really is the notorious _Fox Demon?_ "

Kurama glared at Shishiwakamaru as the samurai held up the dice and said, "Guess it was too much to expect a _mere_ illusion beast to hold up under pressure. Let's continue, shall we? Three against two, now… Getting interesting."

He tossed the dice into the ring, but Sayomi kept her glare trained on him. _He looks too confident. What does he have up his sleeve?_

" _The star attraction!_ "

Sayomi looked down at the dice and saw Shishiwakamaru and choice.

"So…" Shishiwakamaru smirked at the three available fighters. " _Who_ will it be? Who gets taken out _first?_ "

"Make 'em pay, Shishiwaka!"

"Yeah! Put _one_ of 'em down _for good!_ "

Sayomi cringed when she heard high pitched screams coming from one section of the stadium. She looked and saw a large banner that said, "We 3 Shishiwakamaru". It was a whole cheering section of girls fawning over the samurai.

" _Ooh! Good luck, Waka!_ "

" _Trounce Team Urameshi!_ "

"Except _Kurama!_ He's _special!_ "

"Am I _hearin' right?!_ "

Koto smiled nervously at the cheering section and said, "Each _tourney contestant_ has his _fans,_ I guess! Great _party_ atmosphere here today!"

"Sheesh! Tournament groupies!" Kuwabara glared up at the girls. "Are they _too dense_ to take this _seriously?_ "

"No wonder pretty boy has such a big head. It must've gotten inflated from all the hot air they give him." Sayomi glared at the demon in question.

He smiled and pointed at them. "Got a _problem,_ Botch Face? Care to take _me_ on? You seem _primed_ for a fight. Or how about _you_ , sweetheart? I wouldn't mind fighting a _prettier_ face."

"Eh?" Kuwabara pointed at himself in confusion. Then he glared and gritted his teeth in anger. " _'Botch face'? Y'mean me?!_ '"

"Oh believe me, pretty boy. If I _could_ step in the ring, I would." Sayomi narrowed her eyes threateningly with her arms crossed. "I'd like to hear what your fan club thinks of you when you have fewer teeth."

"I'll take this." Hiei stepped forward, glaring at Shishiwakamaru. He clenched his right fist eagerly. "Might get a _real fight_ out of this _guy._ "

" _I'll_ go, Hiei." Kurama stepped up, stopping the swordsman from advancing. "You shouldn't let personal matters distract you in the ring. Besides, you want to be in shape for the finals."

 _Since when was this personal between them?_ Sayomi glanced between the two swordsmen curiously.

"C'mon, Kurama…" Hiei looked up at the red-head. "You're _dying_ to ask him about _that smoke._ "

"Whoa! I'm the one he insulted!" Kuwabara glared at the samurai with gritted teeth. "I get to take him down – got it?!"

Sayomi watched as the boys glared each other down. _Are they seriously going to fight_ each other _over this? Personally, I would like to jump in myself and make him sorry for that comment, but we don't need any rulings against us. Damn pretty boy samurai wannabe…_

Kurama closed his eyes in thought before he said, "We should let Rock-Paper-Scissors decide."

"That's cool." Kuwabara was quick to agree to the suggestion.

"What're you _talking_ about?" Hiei asked.

"You _really_ don't know?" Sayomi blinked at Hiei, confused by his ignorance. "Even _I_ know what that is."

Hiei glared at her and was about to retort when Kurama started explaining the game. "It's a very serious human game. Y'see, paper beats rock…"

"Newbies _hafta_ use rock," Kuwabara interjected.

" _Not true!_ " Kurama denied the claim. "Now listen, Hiei…"

Sayomi smirked as she watched them teach Hiei how to play the simple game. _Well, simple to play, but not to win. Especially with more than two players._

" _Rock-Paper-Scissors!_ " The boys threw down their hands. Hiei and Kurama chose rock while Kuwabara had chosen paper.

Sayomi chuckled quietly to herself. _Heh heh… Hiei still used rock on the first throw._

" _That's it! I win!_ " Kuwabara yelled, clenching his fist in victory.

" _Wait!_ " Hiei glared and pointed at Kuwabara accusingly. "Your throw was too slow."

" _Huh!? Say what?_ " Kuwabara reeled, glaring down at his skeptical teammate. "You know the _lingo!_ You _hustlin'_ us?"

Sayomi scowled at the revelation. _Wait, so he_ does _know the game?!_

 _Of course I don't_.

Sayomi glared at Hiei as he persuaded Kuwabara to go again. _You realize there's no point to this, right? Why not just let him have a turn? One loss won't hurt us._

 _The sooner we defeat them, the better. The fool will only slow us down._

 _Kurama mentioned you were taking this fight too personal. Any idea what he meant by that?_

"Again," Hiei demanded as Kuwabara won another round. _The fox is only projecting his own personal issues onto me. I want a real challenge. Now stop distracting me._

Sayomi glared at the fire demon. _By the way, Kuwabara never lost this game in Master Genkai's assessments…_

"It _took_ a while, but Team Urameshi's _finally_ chosen _Kuwabara!_ " Juri announced for the crowd.

"I'm a Rock-Paper-Scissors _Master!_ " Kuwabara grinned as he wound his arm, ready for the fight.

Sayomi smirked and watched Kuwabara step into the ring. _Heh. He might not beat you in a fight, but you've met your match in Rock-Paper-Scissors._

Hiei just glared up at the ring, annoyed with the outcome.

" _Good luck,_ out there, Botch Face!"

" _Hey!_ " Kuwabara glared at the cheering section. Then he turned to his opponent and stomped to the ring. "Fine! So I'm _not_ the favorite! There's only _one girl_ I want in my fan club anyway!"

Sayomi smirked when she noticed Hiei twitch at Kuwabara's statement.

"While Team Urameshi's been _deciding_ who goes up next, Shishiwakamaru's gotten _ready for battle!_ "

Shishiwakamaru stood in the ring holding a transparent shroud over his head. He smiled lazily at Kuwabara as he wrapped the cloth around his shoulders. "So, it's you and me… Eh, Botch Face? This'll be _quick._ "

Kuwabara glared at the samurai and growled, "Keep dissin' me! I'm _handsome enough_ for the likes of _you,_ Featherhead!"

" _Begin!_ " Juri started the match cheerfully.

" _Prepare to be filleted!_ " Kuwabara dashed forward, his Aura Sword in his right hand. He slashed down, but Shishiwakamaru sidestepped out of the way with his eyes closed.

" _Unh!_ " Kuwabara glared as the shroud drifted over him. "Ya tryin' t' _blind_ me?!" He turned to face Shishiwakamaru, but stopped when he realized he couldn't see the samurai. He began to feel sick as his body started to stretch and distort. " _What th' hey…? Whoaaaaa…_ "

Sayomi, Hiei, and Kurama gasped as Shishiwakamaru moved the fabric around his body to show nothing but air.

"Kuwabara… He's _gone._ " Kurama paled when he realized what had happened.

"Gone _where_ , though?" Sayomi felt herself stiffen at the possibilities.

"Huh?" Juri blinked in confusion. " _Where'd_ he go? Is he… _out of bounds?_ Do I start the _count…?_ "

"Save yourself the trouble. He's no longer here." Shishiwakamaru smiled as he opened his shroud to reveal a black space. "Even I don't know where he's gone, but my _Terminal Hagoromo_ does! The ends of the Earth, or another dimension… nowhere _decent,_ at any rate."

"That bastard…" Sayomi glared at the Shishiwakamaru and clenched her fists.

"As Kuwabara has _left the arena…_ " Juri raised her arm and gestured to the samurai. " _Shishiwakamaru's the winner!_ "

" _Whee!_ " His fans squealed while the rest of the crowd shouted.

" _One down! That's the ticket!_ "

" _Don't stop now! Kill the others!_ "

"But give us something to _watch_ next time!"

"Shishiwakamaru _dispatched_ Kuwabara with a _flick of his robe!_ " Koto couldn't believe her eyes.

"Heh heh…" Shishiwakamaru smiled at Team Urameshi. "I'm here to please my fans…"


	27. Chapter 27

" _Tear the next one apart! Rip 'im up!_ "

" _Ground 'im up!_ "

" _Mash 'im up!_ "

" _Crush 'im up!_ "

"Happy to oblige." Shishiwakamaru smiled and tossed the dice to the ring floor.

" _Shred 'im up!_ "

" _Pound 'im up!_ "

"The _bloodlust_ in this stadium is flowing like lava!" Koto exclaimed into her microphone.

Sayomi, Hiei, and Kurama watched the dice roll. They landed on Mask and Choice.

Shishiwakamaru smirked and said, "My turn again, natch. And you three?"

Hiei smirked and said, "As I said, I'll step in for our missing members. Any objections, Kurama? Sayomi?"

" _Wait._ " The team turned to see the Masked Fighter standing behind them with her arms clasped behind her back. "He rolled me, and I'm here."

Sayomi raised an eyebrow curiously. _She sounds raspier. So this whole time…_

"Is that right? Frankly, I _don't_ think so." Hiei turned to face the Masked Fighter completely.

"Hiei…" Sayomi watched the swordsman carefully.

" _Our_ Masked Fighter was _incredibly strong,_ though she restrained it. Though you are masked, I _do not_ sense that in _you._ "

"My aura is now with _Yusuke._ "

Hiei's eyes widened and Sayomi asked, "Where _is_ Yusuke?"

Juri walked up to Shishiwakamaru and asked, "Do you wish to protest her tardiness?"

"No." Shishiwakamaru glared at the Masked Fighter as he drew his sword. "I challenge her _competence._ I do not face a worthy opponent here. It's simply _absurd_ that she would _dare_ pit herself against me."

The Masked Fighter didn't say a word as she watched the samurai.

Juri waved her arm and said, " _Begin!_ "

Shishiwakamaru dashed forward, swinging his sword down to attack his opponent. The Masked Fighter jumped back and stayed ahead of the samurai, staying just out of range.

"Shishiwakamaru wields a _nasty sword!_ " Koto exclaimed. "The Masked Fighter can _barely dodge the strokes… and now Shishiwakamaru's closing in!_ "

The samurai increased his speed, catching up to the Masked Fighter. "You are _not as swift_ as you were! You would have me believe _you're_ the _original_ Masked Fighter?! _I think not!_ "

Shishiwakamaru quickly attacked with his sword. There was a loud rip that seemed louder than it should've been. Everyone's eyes widened in shock at the face under the mask.

" _Whoa!_ "

Instead of the young girl with vibrant pink hair, there was an older woman with graying pink hair and wrinkles.

" _It's not her!_ "

"Not the _same woman!_ "

Hiei's eyes narrowed slightly. "As I thought…"

"You're wrong, Hiei." Sayomi couldn't take her eyes off the old woman. _Master Genkai, why didn't you tell us sooner?_

"Heh heh…" Shishiwakamaru chuckled and turned to Juri. "See what's _happened?!_ They've _switched out_ fighters behind that _mask!_ "

"Seems so," Juri agreed.

Shishiwakamaru pointed at the old woman accusingly. "Even if she's an alternate, she _can't step in_ until a team member _dies!_ If one has, then I _demand_ to see his or her _corpse_ right here, _right now!_ "

Sayomi scowled and crossed her arms. " _Now_ he objects to an alternate stepping in unfairly."

"Yeah! No corpse, _no substitutions!_ "

"They've _violated the rules!_ "

"Team Urameshi's a bunch of _cheaters!_ "

"Give 'em the _death penalty!_ "

"Death!"

" _Death!_ "

" _Death!_ "

Koto looked at the old woman, just as shocked as the rest of the crowd. "It looks like Team Urameshi is about to be brought up on _charges of cheating!_ We'll _halt_ the action while HQ – Ah, HQ has _ruled!_ That was _quick!_ "

" _Death!_ "

" _Death!_ "

" _Death!_ "

"Quiet, please!" The crowd began to quiet down and turn to the room where the Tournament Committee was seated. The feminine voice from the speakers began to explain. "The Fractured Fairy Tales have charged Team Urameshi with _illegally_ switching team members. After due deliberation… HQ has ruled that this match will continue _without penalty!_ "

The crowd erupted into loud shouts of rage and insults.

" _HQ didn't rule against the humans?!_ "

" _No fair! Humans are always guilty!_ "

"Quiet, please! _Quiet!_ " The committee woman silenced the crowd as she introduced their anonymous informant. "Toguro has come forward and offered to _elaborate_ on this ruling."

The crowd let out a gasp of suspense as their hero took the mic.

"Wh-why Toguro?"

"It has been determined…"

"Shh… _Quiet!_ "

"…That Team Urameshi has committed only a _mild_ infraction – tardiness. Fact is…" Toguro smirked as he enlightened the crowd. "The woman you see in the arena is the one, and only, _Masked Fighter._ "

" _She is?!_ " The crowd buzzed in disbelief and shock.

Sayomi glanced at the old woman. _Why was she so young before…?_

Toguro answered Sayomi's unspoken question. "When she's at maximum power, her cells _rejuvenate_ , and she appears as she did in her prime. Otherwise, _this_ is her normal appearance." Toguro's smirk stretched into a wicked grin. "Does that about _cover_ it _Genkai?!_ "

Genkai glared up at Toguro as the crowd broke into gossip.

"' _Genkai?!'_ "

"It's her! The notorious _Genkai, the Reiki Master!_ "

"No _wonder_ Team Urameshi was _kickin' butt!_ "

"But how'd Toguro get _wind_ of all this?"

Sayomi looked back and forth between the two fighters as they stared each other down. _He seemed very familiar with her technique. Do they_ know _each other?_

"Genkai… Heh heh heh…" Shishiwakamaru broke into a fanatic grin as he realized who he was fighting. "…Genkai… the _famous_ Genkai, eh?! Fortune _smiles_ on me today!" He drew his sword and said, "I took you for an old woman of no ability… but if you're Genkai, then I _retract_ my earlier _disdain!_ "

Shishiwakamaru gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands as it extended. Beneath the material, there were organic intestines. About midway, solemn faces emerged and began to moan. Shishiwakamaru smirked as he held his weapon proudly. "It now appears that I should take you _very seriously!_ "

"Eh…?" Hiei frowned at the strange weapon.

"That _sword!_ Is it…?" Kurama watched it warily.

"What is it…?" Sayomi shivered as she listened to the weapon's cries.

" _Banshee Blade!_ " Shishiwakamaru presented his sword and began to spin it over his head with one hand. "Because its power is _beyond awesome,_ Benkai sealed it away, unused. Even the _wielder_ isn't safe, for it summons…" He caught his sword with his other hand and held it up defensively. "…the _Grim Reaper!_ So _ends your_ life, Genkai!"

"He could be _right!_ " Kurama watched the samurai in worry. "Its aura _overshadows_ Shishiwakamaru's."

"So he summons _Botan?_ " Sayomi asked in confusion.

 _You cannot be that stupid._

Sayomi scowled at Hiei. He kept his eyes on the ring with his arms crossed. Sayomi quirked an eyebrow at the swordsman. _He said it summons the grim reaper. Isn't that what Botan is?_

 _Why would his sword summon that fool? He obviously intends his attack to be threatening._

… _Good point…_

" _Here I go!_ " Shishiwakamaru dragged the tip of his blade on the ring, circling around his body.

Genkai held up her fists defensively, waiting for him to make the first move.

"That's _one creepy sword_ Shishiwakamaru's wielding!" Koto watched the samurai spin the weapon around, switching hands with smooth motion. "What _displays of power_ are in store?!"

"Heh heh…" Shishiwakamaru chuckled as his sword began to emit more painful wails.

"That _sound…_ " The weaker demons in the crowd were the first to become affected. " _Gnawing_ at my _brain…!_ "

"It… It's the _sword!_ "

" _It's shrieking like a demon!_ "

" _Raaagh!_ "

"M-my head is… _exploding!_ "

Koto looked around her as the crowd began to scream in pain. "The sword's shriek is _knocking out the spectators!_ What a _sight!_ "

Sayomi began to feel a headache creeping in. She clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palm. She bit her lip and tried to focus more on her physical pain. _I can't let this get to me. It'll only get worse from here…_

Shishiwakamaru continued to twirl his sword, summoning specters. "Those of _weak will_ cannot withstand the _beckoning of ghosts._ I, however, find it _beautiful._ " He steadied his sword with a cynical smirk. "What's _your_ opinion, Genkai?!"

Shishiwakamaru jumped into the air and swung his sword in a downward diagonal strike. " _Take this, you old bat! Smothering Skull Gush!_ "

A horde of spectral skulls burst from the attack and began to scatter throughout the stadium. They screeched as they flew through the air and bit off the heads of the living.

When the ghosts directed their assault on Sayomi, she pulled out her _kusarigama_ and used the chain to spin a barrier and destroy one. Hiei used his Blazing Sword of the Overlord to torch his assailant. Kurama used his Rose Whip to destroy another.

Shishiwakamaru smirked down at the large crater left in the ring. "The Banshee Blade's shriek _releases_ evil that, through the resonating blade, becomes amplified into a _shockwave._ I lose a _lot_ of aura in the process… but my _target_ is utterly _wiped out._ "

"Provided it _connects._ "

Shishiwakamaru's eyes widened at the sound of the old woman's voice. He turned around to see Genkai standing with her fists raised. Her clothes were ripped in a few places, but otherwise she was unharmed. The samurai's face became grim as he glared down at her. "So, _not_ so slow and weak as I thought."

Genkai pointed at him and said, "I seem to have gone a bit _senile._ I _forgot_ the technique to use until _you_ reminded me."

"Eh?" Shishiwakamaru's eyebrows drew downward angrily. " _No way_ you could've dodged me except by _blind luck!_ You won't escape _next time,_ I promise!"

"Waah!"

"Yeek!"

" _I don't wanna watch anymore!_ "

"Step aside!"

" _I don't wanna die!_ "

Koto ducked down behind her desk and peered over the edge just enough to see. "This crowd's _nervous!_ Many of 'em are bolting for _the exits!_ All in all, can't say I _blame 'em!_ "

"Wot a buncha _wimps!_ "

" _Runnin' out_ when Genkai's about to _go down!_ "

"Some are _trying to be brave,_ sticking it out… while the match _continues!_ "

Sayomi glared up at the wannabe samurai. _He looks crazy. Does being famous really matter to him that much? Seems like it would get annoying fast._

Shishiwakamaru began to spin his sword above his head again, creating more cries and moans.

Sayomi fought back the urge to cover her ears. Her eyes widened when she saw a wall of spirits materialize around the two fighters. _Well that doesn't look good…_

" _Restraining Wall of Screams!_ " Shishiwakamaru sneered down at Genkai with open malice. "Nowhere to _run,_ Genkai… Nowhere to _hide!_ It is such a _marvelous moment_ when you know you're sending another _worthless fool_ who fantasizes about 'justice' to the _grave!_ "

Genkai stood her ground and said, "You know _nothing_ about justice other than your _hatred_ of it!"

" _Oh yes!_ " Shishiwakamaru grinned as his eyes dilated. "I do _hate_ it! _Violence_ is my meat, Genkai, and _wickedness_ my ambrosia! I have _no use_ for hypocritical 'pacifists'!"

"Same here." Genkai smirked. "We're not so different."

Shishiwakamaru glared and jumped into the air, his weapon raised and surrounded by wailing ghosts. " _Don't you dare mock me! Prepare to be torn to bits!_ "

A loud crack echoed throughout the stadium. The crowd was silenced as they watched in awe. Genkai had the blade between the palms of her hands. The aura from the ghosts began to pour out from the sword and absorb into the old woman, changing her back to her younger appearance.

"Huh…?" Shishiwakamaru's eyes widened at the sight, catching him off guard.

" _Reflecting Mirror Blast!_ " Genkai concentrated the aura into her hands and sent the blast back at her opponent. His sword broke into pieces and ghouls were forced out towards the swordsman. Shishiwakamaru spit up blood as the direct attack sent him flying back, skidding on the arena floor. Sayomi, Hiei, and Kurama all watched with wide eyes, impressed with the psychic's technique.

Young Genkai looked down at her bleeding opponent and said, "I have little aura to spare so I _borrowed_ yours."

Shishiwakamaru was covered in bruises and blood. His clothes were ripped and stained all over. He weakly lifted his head to look up at the woman in shock. "Y-you're _diabolical…_ "

"You misunderstand _my_ view of justice." Genkai explained like a teacher to her student. "I just don't particularly _care_ for scoundrels like you."

"Heh… Well said…" Shishiwakamaru smirked and laid his head back on the ring. "And… darn, you're _cute_ like that… cute enough to… fall in love… with…"

Shishiwakamaru passed out and Juri began to count. Sayomi looked up at Genkai with new admiration as she began to age again. _Wow… She's amazing… So she_ gave _her energy to Yusuke? How much stronger has_ he _gotten?_

" _Ten!_ " Juri lifted her arm and gestured to the aged woman. " _The winner is – Genkai!_ "

"She stopped a _sword_ with her bare hands, then zapped Shishiwakamaru with _his own aura!_ "

"She's one _tough tomato!_ "

The crowd continued to buzz with amazement at the old woman's skills. Hiei kept his eyes focused on the other team. "One left."

"All that's left is that _old man?!_ "

"That's _pathetic! Hopeless!_ "

"Oh dear…" The old man stood hunched with his hands behind his back. "There's no real need to throw this die now, but would you still like it to decide?"

Hiei crossed his arms and answered, "Fine with us. Little good it'll do you."

"Very well… Here we go…" The old man tossed the lone die onto the ring. It bounced a couple times before rolling to stop on Kuwabara. "Hmm… Tsk tsk…"

Juri looked down at the die and said, "It's come up… _Kuwabara._ " She extended her arm and cheered, "Guess we'll have to give it _another roll—_ "

"Don't nobody _touch_ it!" Juri was caught off guard as the loud voice blared through the stadium. "'Cause _I'm here_ t' tell ya…"

"Ulp! Oopsy…" Juri turned to the stands to see Kuwabara with Koto's microphone in his hand as he used another demon's head as a stepping stool.

"… _Kazuma Kuwabara's back, fans!_ Ready to _chew gum, kick butt, and take names!_ Too bad I'm outta gum!"

Sayomi sighed and shook her head in shame. "Did he really need to be so loud about it?"

"Hn. So the fool lived." Hiei glanced at the human with annoyance before looking back at the old man. "How fast do you think he'll lose this time?"

"You never know, Hiei." Sayomi looked over at the swordsman. "He might be able to beat the old man."

"He couldn't beat a child," Hiei countered bluntly. "Given how the old woman fought Shishiwakamaru, I highly doubt he will fare any better against this old man."

"Watch it, stud." Genkai warned Hiei casually with a smirk. "I may be old but I'm not too old to teach you a lesson or two."

"Hn." Hiei's face became impassive as he watched Kuwabara make his way to the ring.

"By the way, Master. Where is Yusuke?" Sayomi needed to know about her charge.

"He's sleeping. He'll be fine on his own for now." Genkai turned to the ring, signaling the end of the topic.

Sayomi didn't ask any more questions as Juri started the match. She looked back to the ring and saw Kuwabara run straight for the old man. "Is that really a good—"

The old man maneuvered his arms and summoned an orb of darkness out of thin air, holding it in front of himself. Kuwabara continued to charge straight into the orb where he became imprisoned.

"What _is_ that?!"

"Some kinda… _black hole!_ "

Kuwabara glared and pressed himself against the wall of the sphere. " _Hey! Lemme out!_ "

Koto watched the match with wide eyes and announced, "Kuwabara no sooner _jumped in_ , then he got _trapped_ in a _black sphere!_ "

"You were saying, Sayomi?" Hiei smirked at the demoness.

"Shut up, Hiei." Sayomi glared at the old man and Kuwabara, annoyed by the outcome.

"This, my friends, is the Terminal Hagoromo…" The old man explained for the spectators. "An _entrance_ to another dimension. I can manifest it without the use of a cloth. The rest of my team was just an opening act using tools – mere toys, actually – I created to suit their talents."

"Arrrr!" As the old man went on, Kuwabara yelled as his body began to distort and vanish. " _Not againnnn!_ "

"Ho ho ho…" The old man chuckled and let the sphere vanish into smoke. "…One gone, three to go. I'd hoped Shishiwakamaru would last into the finals. Oh well…"

"So he literally ran into the same trap twice…" Sayomi took a deep inhale and let out a slow exhale. "…Yeah… Okay…"

"And next up?" The old man glanced at Team Urameshi and held up their die. "Kurama? If so, I could tell him the secret of the smoke… _if_ he wins."

Kurama's face betrayed no emotional reaction, but Sayomi could just feel his desire to learn the secret. The die rolled across the tile and landed on Mask.

"'Mask'… _Genkai!_ "

"Busy day for _her,_ huh!"

"Ho ho…" The old man chuckled. "You up to it? You must be rather _tired…_ "

Genkai stared him down with a blank expression and said, "And you can stop putting on the _old and feeble act._ Is there any further _point_ in the pretense, whoever you are?"

Sayomi's eyes widened at the news. _An act? So he's not really old?_

The "old" man smirked at Genkai and said, "You 'never judge a book by its cover,' eh? I'd even concealed my aura level. Disguises are something of a hobby, you see."

"Hmph!" Genkai scoffed at his explanation.

"Ah, well…" He reached for his cheek and began to pull. "…Might as well unveil."

"He's been in _disguise?_ "

"Then _who_ is he?!"

"I did myself up as an old man…" He pulled the fake wrinkles away, tearing the mask. "…Because, frankly, _I hate senior citizens._ Assuming the guise of what I _scorn_ boosts my _aggression._ Aging… Pssh! It's grotesque! A veritable _sin!_ "

There was a small explosion and a white smokescreen covered the last member of the Fractured Fairy Tales. When the smoke cleared, there was a clown in the arena. He wore a pink jester's outfit with a green collar and wrist cuffs. He wore blue jester shoes and a blue belt with a gold heart buckle. His face was covered in white make-up with blue lips and a purple heart over his left eye. The right half of his face was covered with a mask. To finish off the look, he wore a bright red clown nose and his blond hair stood up in wild spikes.

The clown smirked and brought a hand to his chest as he began to introduce himself. "I plan to make my mark long before my wrinkles start to show. _And everyone will know my name!_ And my name will spell _pure, unholy horror!_ Winning this tournament will be the _first step!_ "

"Hmph… Idiot." Hiei scoffed at the clown.

"Yeah, no joke." Sayomi agreed.

"You're all here at the _beginning…_ " The clown continued. "…to _witness_ this moment for _posterity._ I am _Suzuki,_ the Beautiful Fighter… _A man of a thousand faces—and moves!_ " He held up a finger and kept talking. "When you speak of me… speak well, and don't forget the 'Beautiful' part."

Koto smiled nervously and said, "Suzuki's had himself _totally made over_ in this _garish getup._ He's about the _wackiest-looking fighter_ I've ever _seen!_ "

Genkai stared at the clown, unimpressed with his entrance. "You say you're beautiful, and yet you hide your face? Perhaps you are, in fact, quite ugly?"

Suzuki crossed his arms and said, "A legend is forever, so what does it matter what face it has? People are fascinated by the unknown, and their fear of it fuels their imaginations. Take gods and devils, for example. Women a century from now will wonder, 'that beautiful, powerful fighter… what did he _look_ like?' I get a _thrill_ imagining how they'll debate over that."

Genkai clenched her fists, getting more annoyed by the minute. "I find your type repugnant."

"This I _promise,_ that once I win…" Suzuki shouted with glee. "I will have _all the old and infirm put to death!_ Along with _anyone_ who _challenges my fiat!_ Only followers – _my_ followers – will be _allowed to live!_ "

" _Dream on, Pajama-boy!_ "

" _Who'd follow a lame-o like you?!_ "

Suzuki glared and sent a blast of energy towards the stands. The crowd panicked and got hit with the blast, leaving behind a smoking crater. He smirked with his hand still raised. "I'm quite _serious._ "

"This clown's nuts," Hiei commented.

"He's not even funny in the _good_ way," Sayomi agreed.

"Gee… Who do we _root_ for?"

"Yeah! Don't like _either_ of 'em!"

The crowd grew pale and worried as the possibility of either team winning seemed grim for their future.

Suzuki pointed at Genkai and said, "You will appear in a passage of my story titled, 'Genkai Gets Flattened by Suzuki, the Beautiful Fighter.'"

Juri raised her arm and announced, "Time to _fight,_ guys! _Begin!_ "

Suzuki began to move his arms hypnotically as he manipulated his aura. "I'd advise you _not_ try the Reflecting Mirror Blast. It works by matching harmonics, right? Well, I can _change_ my aura harmonics at will."

He held up his finger and began to shift through different aura signatures with ease. He rushed towards Genkai with a grin. "Get the _picture?!_ You'll just have to try _something else…_ if you _can! Rainbow Cyclone!_ "

Suzuki opened his arms and released streams of different-colored aura. They spiraled towards Genkai, sending her skidding back into the stadium wall.

"Is that _it_ for her?!"

"Mmm…" Suzuki smirked. "A rainbow-hued blast of various harmonics is a most exquisite beautiful move, and my favorite."

" _Genkai's out of bounds!_ " Juri declared. " _I'm starting the count! 1! 2!_ "

"Huh! That it?" Suzuki rested his hands on his hips. "There're 999 other moves I wanted to show her."

"Pfft. Yeah, right," Sayomi scoffed under her breath.

When the dust settled, Genkai was sitting up with just a few bruises and rips in her clothing. She stared up at her opponent with boredom as the wall crumbled behind her.

"Ah…" Suzuki glanced at her. " _Tougher_ than that, eh?"

Genkai smirked and tossed up a bright red accessory in her hand. "That's a shapely nose you've got. You should show your face. Might _help_ your legend."

Suzuki glanced down and gasped when he noticed his red clown nose was gone. " _Y-you witch!_ "

"Heh…" Kurama chuckled.

Genkai dropped the nose and clenched her fists as she got to her feet. "As I said, I'm no champion of justice. I'll take down anyone I don't like." She smirked and pointed at the clown with her middle finger. "No need to waste any aura on you, either. I'll just use my fists."

Suzuki began to sweat as his body heat escalated. His pupils dilated as he began to tremble with rage. "You… old… crone…"

Genkai began to shuffle from foot to foot, taunting her opponent. "I had to have a _strong physique_ to withstand the _unimaginable pain_ of becoming the successor. Compared to that, your attacks are like pound cake."

Suzuki sneered down at Genkai as he growled, "You dare _mock_ me?! _Graah!_ Then I'll _save my aura,_ too!" Suzuki clenched his fists as his muscles began to expand, ripping his shirt into tatters. "Ha ha… How d'ya like my _Explosive Flesh of Steel?!_ It's _Toguro's_ move! As you can see, I can do just as well as he can!"

Genkai pointed at him and said, "You think so? I don't. You'll _lose,_ and why? While you're a genius at creating weapons tailored to others… that gives you _no edge_ in combat. Even Shishiwakamaru was stronger than you."

" _Shut up!_ " Suzuki brought his fist down, shattering the ring as Genkai jumped back.

She threw a right cross and connected directly with his cheek. Suzuki slammed into the floor, bleeding from his mouth. Genkai landed on his back, breaking a few bones on impact as his body was forced against the ring. She jumped off and kicked his chin, sending him almost to his feet.

Sayomi, Hiei, Kurama, and Koto watched in suspense.

" _Haah!_ " Genkai delivered a barrage of punches directly to Suzuki's face and body. She pulled back and looked at his swollen face. "Hmph!"

"Qu… Quack…" Suzuki spewed blood from his eyes, nose, and mouth. His skin was turning purple and his hair was a mess.

Juri watched in shock as he collapsed to the floor, unconscious. Genkai ran a hand through her hair as she realized something. "Hmph! Never got a look at his real face."


	28. Chapter 28

"He's still zonked out?" Kuwabara stared down at Yusuke's sprawled, sleeping form with his hands in his pockets.

"With the finals in a coupla days?" Chu and Rinku had followed Team Urameshi to their hotel room, along with Jin and Toya.

"Sheesh, what a lump," Kuwabara scoffed.

"Better worry about _yourself!_ " Rinku grinned with his hands clasped behind his head.

"Got a _death wish,_ shrimp?" Kuwabara glared down at the boy.

"Let him sleep," Genkai ordered. She sat against a wall with an arm resting over a raised knee. "He'll awaken, ready or not, when the time comes. He knows that."

Sayomi stood against the wall beside Yusuke's bed. She kept her arms crossed as she thought over Genkai's words. _When the time comes… So, he'll wake up when the finals start like with the first round._

"Now then…" Genkai got to her feet and made her way to the door.

"Where're you _going?!_ " Kuwabara watched the old woman, unable to stop her. "After two matches, _you_ need sleep. Or at least let Sayomi look at you."

Sayomi looked up at the mention of her name and realized he was right. _She handled herself so well, I didn't think to heal her after the round was over. She looks exhausted…_

"I've got something to do. Kuwabara…" Genkai turned to smirk at the boy and said, "Don't lose."

"Huh?" Kuwabara blinked as Genkai shut the door.

"Well, since Yusuke's out for a couple days, I'm gonna head out, too." Sayomi stepped away from the wall and made her way to the door. "I'll be back later, maybe."

"Hey, wait—"

Sayomi shut the door on Kuwabara before he could stop her. When she turned to the hall, she jumped and bit back the urge to yell out. Genkai was standing just down the hall with her hands behind her back. Sayomi let out a shaky breath as she made her way to her teacher. "Geez, Master, don't scare me like that."

"Hmph!" Genkai smirked and led the way to a set of fire stairs. "Leave it to _you_ to follow after me."

Sayomi flashed the old woman a grin and said, "Who's following? I just wanted to get out of the crowded room."

"Yeah, right. And I'm your fairy godmother."

"My what?" Sayomi arched an eyebrow at the unfamiliar term.

"Don't bother over-thinking it." Genkai glanced at Sayomi and asked, "What do you want? I'm too busy to train you. You'd have better luck with the hothead."

"Hmmm…" Sayomi took a moment to think over her words before she asked, "What are you so busy with that you had to leave so soon?"

"Just meeting an old friend. There's no need for you to tag along. No doubt we'd just bore you with talks about the 'good ol' days'."

Sayomi watched Genkai carefully. _An old friend? Here?_ "If you're sure that's what you want. You sure you don't want me to heal you before you go?"

"No thanks. You should save your energy for what you _really_ want to do." Genkai smirked at Sayomi before opening the door to the exit and making her way to the forest edge. "And don't let anyone try to convince you otherwise."

Sayomi watched her teacher leave, ignoring the urge to follow after her. _She can handle herself. And she has a point…_

Sayomi looked around and expanded her senses. She ignored the energies in the hotel and the signals she was getting from the stadium's direction. When she came up empty, she sighed and picked a random direction to explore the woods. "Of course he won't let me sense his energy. That would be too _easy_."

Once she was under the canopy, she relaxed and let the shadows consume her. She felt a smile creep on her face as she walked. The breeze was getting cooler as the sun started creeping more towards the west. While there was still enough sunlight to see, it would only be a matter of hours before it really got dark.

While walking, Sayomi thought about Genkai's parting words. _Save my energy for what I really want to do… Haven't I been doing that already? I mean, the past couple of months have been nothing but meditating and fighting. I only healed myself after training with Hiei until the tournament started. But then, I didn't really have much choice this time, did I? I wasn't going to let them bleed out just because I couldn't fight with them._

She looked down at her gloved hand, imagining the markings underneath. She clenched her fist and glared down at her exposed black nails. _Then again, should I really be fighting at all? Maybe that's why they didn't consider me to be their fifth member… I'm too weak and they all know it…_

Sayomi stopped walking as she delved deeper into her thoughts. _So then, why is Hiei so insistent on training me every day? Even when I ditch him, he gets pissed and increases the difficulty. If I'm too weak, why would he even bother? He won't even train Kuwabara, and_ he _gets to fight in the tournament instead of me._

She sighed and sat down on the ground, crossing her arms and legs. "Alright, calm down. Maybe I'm wrong and they're not in some conspiracy to keep me from fighting. So then, why not let me be their fifth instead of pushing me to alternate? Do they think I can't handle it because I'm a girl? No, Yusuke doesn't care about gender like Kuwabara does."

"Do you always talk to yourself like this?"

Sayomi quickly turned around to see Hiei standing behind her with his hands in his cloak pockets. She glared at the fire demon and turned back to face away from him. "I hate it when you do that."

"Then you should do something about it instead of whining like a child." Hiei watched her get into her meditative position. Sayomi shut her eyes and took in deep breaths, ignoring the former thief. Hiei scowled and settled down in front of her, following her lead as he opened his Evil Eye beneath the headband.

Sayomi opened her mind's eye and looked through the darkness. She sighed and began walking in a random direction. "What will it be this time?"

She continued to wander in the Void and think out loud. "Will it be another memory of my brother or perhaps what happened afterwards? Or maybe it'll dig up something I forgot. Hell, anything would be better than this annoying empty space!"

Her voice faded into the distance until it was swallowed by silence. When nothing changed, she scoffed and said, "This is stupid. Why did I even start the meditation? Oh right. Hiei."

She sighed and sat down, crossing her legs and resting her chin on the back of her hand. "Since I started when he showed up, I guess he's become something like a trigger. That's pretty annoying now that I think about it."

"Surely it can't be too annoying if you insist on staying."

Sayomi's eyes widened as she heard the familiar voice behind her. She slowly turned to see Yasuhiro standing with a warm smile. She opened her mouth, but closed it. _Why is he here?_

Yasuhiro crossed his arms and smirked down at his sister. "Did I catch you at a bad time?"

Sayomi blinked and got to her feet. She kept a safe distance from him, not wanting to leave herself vulnerable. "Why are you here? You said you would wait until _after_ the tournament."

Yasuhiro's smirk slipped and he sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Can't I still talk to my sister from a distance? I've been looking everywhere for you. Now that I know where you are, I wonder where you've been all this time until now."

"Where _I_ have been? What about _you?!_ " Sayomi glared at her brother as his expression became stoic. "You told me to run. You said you would find me."

"I _did_ find you." Yasuhiro locked eyes with Sayomi as he said, "And it took me _years_ to even pick up a _trace_ of your aura."

Sayomi tried to respond, but Yasuhiro cut her off. "How far did you run? And for how long? I searched every _acre_ of that forest and I couldn't find you _anywhere_. I expanded my search to neighboring territories and came up _empty_. You don't know how _angry_ I became when I realized you were _nowhere_ to be found…"

Sayomi trembled at the memory from her last meditation. _He got worse?_

Yasuhiro paused to close his eyes and take a slow breath. "Then I found someone who honed my anger into something I can control." He opened his eyes and smiled at Sayomi. "That's why I need you to come back before it's too late."

Sayomi felt frozen in place. _Why can't I move? This isn't right. He's still…_ "Too late for what? Losing myself? Becoming corrupted by power I'm too weak to control?"

"Please, Sayomi." Yasuhiro opened his arms, beckoning her to come forward. "I miss my little sister."

"She doesn't seem to miss _you._ "

Yasuhiro and Sayomi blinked at the unexpected voice. They looked over to see Hiei standing in the darkness with his hands in his pockets. He glanced at Sayomi's tense stance, ready to fight or run. Then he glared at Yasuhiro, calm and exposing himself to a direct attack.

Yasuhiro's confusion melted into a stern glare. He lowered his arms and faced Hiei, giving him his full attention. "So, you are the infamous thief Hiei. And what brings _you_ into our sibling reunion?"

Hiei matched the demon's glare with his own. Without looking away, he addressed Sayomi. "Get over here. Now."

Sayomi snapped back into attention and looked at Yasuhiro. He kept his eyes on Hiei, so she took the distraction and ran towards the swordsman. She stopped in front of him and turned to face her brother with her arms spread open. "Don't hurt him!"

"Sayomi…" Yasuhiro's glare fell as he saw his sister protecting the thief.

"What are you doing, you fool?" Hiei grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back as he took a step in front of her.

Sayomi turned to glare at Hiei, shrugging his hand away. "He's my _brother_ , Hiei! And what the hell are you even _doing_ _here?!_ This defeats the damn _purpose_ of the whole meditation!"

Hiei growled and grabbed her by the hair on the back of her head, forcing her down. He glared at her and said, "Even if I attack him in your mind, he'll still be alive. The same applies to me. If _you_ get hurt in your own mind, you'll be beyond help."

"The traitor has a good point, Sayomi." Yasuhiro glared at Hiei and said, "I suppose that eye of yours is good for something after all."

Sayomi tried to get out of Hiei's grip, but he held on. When she settled down on her knees, he let go and faced Yasuhiro, blocking Sayomi completely from his view. "I suggest you leave now or I'll track you down and kill you myself."

"And why would a heartless killer care to protect someone who isn't of your own blood? Are you a _friend_ of hers?" Yasuhiro narrowed his eyes and asked, "Are you with the Underworld Detective?"

Hiei ignored his questions as he laid an open hand on Sayomi's head. She physically relaxed at the familiar warmth, closing her eyes in relief. Hiei removed his headband and opened his Evil Eye, emitting a glow that seemed bright in the infinite darkness. Yasuhiro had to shut his eyes and shield himself as the glow brightened, forcing the meditation to end.

Sayomi opened her eyes and saw Hiei sitting in front of her, mirroring her position. His red eyes watched her as she sighed and averted hers, choosing to stare at his hair instead. "So why did you interfere? I thought we had an agreement about that."

"The agreement was that I observe your meditations and communicate only. Is that not what happened?"

"You were actually _part of it_ , Hiei." Sayomi closed her eyes and brought a hand up to cover her face. "Do you have any idea how _invasive_ that felt?"

"Your insecurities will be your downfall." Hiei reached for her wrist and pulled it down. "And look at me when you speak."

Sayomi reluctantly opened her eyes and looked at the fire demon. His eyes were guarded, but he wasn't angry. She took a few deep breaths as she gathered her thoughts. "I didn't expect him to show up again so soon."

Hiei let go of her wrist. "Is that why you hesitated?"

"No, it wasn't like that. I tried to move, but I _couldn't_. Not until you showed up and… distracted…"

Hiei smirked as she realized the answer to her own question. He chuckled when she glared at him and got to his feet. He removed his cloak and tossed it to the side. "Get up. We're training for the rest of the evening."

Sayomi felt her face heat up when she realized he wasn't wearing a shirt. She tried to ignore it as she got up and stretched. _What is it with him and shirts? Does it really get in the way that much?_

She finished stretching and reached for her weapon. Hiei drew his sword and waited patiently for her to make the first move. Sayomi ran forward, sweeping her sickle low to attack Hiei's leg. Hiei jumped up, bringing his sword down to attack.

Sayomi smirked as she became shadow, allowing the blade to pass through her harmlessly. She shadow-stepped so she was directly in front of him and landed a series of solid hits to his chest and stomach.

Hiei grunted when she hit, but otherwise he was just fine. He trapped her leg against his torso as she kicked him, shocking her into solidifying completely. He swept her other leg out from under her with a kick and let her fall to the ground.

She growled and sprang back to her feet, dashing around through the trees. Hiei chased after her, attacking with his sword. She covered herself in her aura, trying to outrun him. Whenever he swung his sword, she dashed out of the way. Trees were cut down and boulders split in half as his attacks followed through.

Sayomi smirked as she dodged another strike and countered with her chain. She wrapped it around Hiei's arm and tugged, forcing him off balance. She dashed forward with her sickle raised to attack.

Hiei caught his footing and vanished from her view as she brought her weapon down. He appeared behind her, kicking her down to the ground. She bounced once and dropped her weapon. Hiei landed on top of her, pinning her back with his knee and pulling her head up by her hair. His sword's edge was pressed just lightly against her throat.

She tried to glare up at Hiei, but he just tightened his grip. She cringed in pain, then shivered when she heard him chuckle in her ear. "I win."

She shivered when she felt his warm breath on the nape of her neck. She struggled to get up, but Hiei applied more pressure on her back as he tugged her head back. He growled in her ear, warning her to stop.

"Don't bet on it." Sayomi began to cover herself in her aura when a flock of birds flew away from the area and a powerful aura swept through the forest.

Hiei let go of Sayomi and helped pull her to her feet. They were both sweating and out of breath as they turned to face the direction the energy came from. "What… did I just feel…?"

"Did it come from the stadium?" Sayomi wondered aloud. She closed her eyes and searched through the woods. She felt a much smaller flash of energy that she recognized. _Wait, isn't that…?_

"No. Toguro's team is fighting, but it wasn't from the stadium." Hiei turned to her and saw her paling expression. "What's wrong?"

"She's not supposed to be fighting…" Sayomi's voice was just above a whisper.

Hiei scowled. "By 'she', I assume you mean Genkai."

"This can't be good." Sayomi started walking towards Genkai's energy in a daze. "She said she was just meeting with an old friend…"

Hiei grabbed her wrist, stopping her from leaving. "If that's what she told you, then she knew what she was getting herself into. Even if you leave, there would be nothing you could do for her."

"I could _heal_ her, Hiei. If I get there in time…" Sayomi tried to tug free, but Hiei held on firmly.

"Toguro knows we have a healer on our team. You think he'll leave her treatable?"

Sayomi lowered her head, refusing to look at the fire demon. "Please… Let me go, Hiei. I need to see her before it's too late."

Hiei held on and said, "Fine, but I expect you back for training tomorrow."

"Can't we take a break just this once?" She turned to him, tears spilling from her eyes.

Hiei's eyes hardened and he said, "If Genkai dies, then that means you step in as the alternate. If you want to survive, you need all the training you can get. Or is your wish for strength just a lie to fool yourself into thinking you're not weak?"

Sayomi growled and became shadow to slip free from Hiei's grasp. She ran through the trees, locking onto Genkai's location when she felt another build-up of the hermit's aura.

As she ran, she thought back to the start of her mission. She remembered her rough training with the old woman. The backhanded compliments echoed in her mind, pushing her to improve. She recalled her recent matches in the ring as the Masked Fighter. Finally, she heard the old woman's parting words.

" _You should save your energy for what you_ really _want to do, and don't let anyone try to convince you otherwise."_

Sayomi gritted her teeth as she pushed herself to run faster. When she felt a burst of Yusuke's energy, she melded with the shadows of the trees. _Please… Not him too!_

She reached an open field and stopped short of falling into a large crater in the ground. She trembled as she tried to imagine the one who created it. _He's a monster…_

Her eyes scanned the area for any threats. Her eyes widened when she saw red. She ran around the crater and kneeled down to inspect Genkai. The blood was already cool and she couldn't feel a pulse.

She clenched her fists and stood up, glaring through more tears as she tried to find Yusuke. She found a path of broken trees and followed it. _Please be okay! Please don't be dead, too!_

At the end of the destruction, she found Yusuke. He sat against the base of a tree, covered in scratches and broken branches. His cheek was swelling a bit and his eyes stared ahead emptily.

Sayomi ran up to him, brushing away the debris and checking him for any serious injuries. She gasped when she realized, except for his swelling cheek and worn clothes, he seemed fine. His bruises were already beginning to heal. _Is this what she meant when she said her power was with Yusuke now? He survived a hit from Toguro… That's incredible…_

"Yusuke! Yusuke, it's Sayomi." She plucked the twigs and leaves from his hair and his body. He was covered in dirt and there was some blood dripping from his mouth. "Yusuke…?"

"…He'll pay…" His voice was barely a whisper.

Sayomi bit back the urge to cry more and she decided to help heal his face to distract herself. The swelling went down and the bruising faded away completely. Despite his improved condition, he continued to stare into the distance at nothing.

Sayomi's face became somber as she thought about their late teacher. _The last thing she told me was to focus on what I want to do… but what do I want to do? Become powerful so I can end up like Yasuhiro? Or stay weak and live in fear of ever using my own abilities?_

Screams echoed in her memory. Terrible screams coupled with genuine laughter. _I don't want to become a monster… I just want to be able to protect myself. I want to survive on my own. If I can defend myself, then no one else will need to do it for me. They won't need to worry about me if I can handle myself._

Images of the boys floated through her mind. _Yusuke is a natural. No wonder Raizen said to look for a good fighter. Not only is he getting stronger, he's also very kind to the people he cares for. And speaking of kind, Kuwabara isn't too bad for a human. Yeah, he's annoying at times, but he's been a steadfast, loyal ally since I've met him. Kurama knows how strong he used to be. It's probably why he wants to know about that smoke so much. Can't say I blame him, but I think I like this new Kurama better. Even limited, he's still the legendary fox. And Hiei…_ The fire demon's words echoed in her ears.

" _If you want to survive, you need all the training you can get. Or is your wish for strength just a lie to fool yourself into thinking you're not weak?"_

Sayomi choked back a sob and bit her lip. _I know I'm weak… I'm trying to fix it… But…_

" _You don't know how_ angry _I became when I realized you were_ nowhere _to be found…"_

She felt a warm tear slide down her cheek when she recalled her brother's suppressed anger. _I don't want to become like him…_


	29. Chapter 29

It was the day before the finals, and Yusuke still hadn't come back to the room. Sayomi had helped him walk to the cave where he was tested by their late teacher, then left him alone so he could mourn in private. She didn't want to intrude on his grief.

She wandered through the trees aimlessly, avoiding any familiar aura signatures. She didn't want to run into Hiei again and she couldn't bring herself to confront Kuwabara with the tragic news. She considered looking for Kurama, but decided against it since he was most likely focused on the finals.

 _What should I do? I know I'm supposed to step in as the alternate, but what if I'm not strong enough? Or what if I lose control?_ Sayomi kept her eyes on the ground as she walked. _I couldn't bear to be the reason we lost the tournament… Especially when they're so close…_

She kept her hood over her head and her eyes glued to the floor. Her hands were stuffed in her pockets and she slouched in misery. _What was I thinking? I'm not meant to be a fighter… I've seen what that kind of power does first-hand. I don't want to be like that…_

When the sunlight blinded her, Sayomi tugged her hood lower to block the bright intrusion. When she adjusted to the lighting, she found herself back at the hotel. She sighed and trudged into the lobby. As she was making her way to the stairs, she heard a familiar voice call out her name.

"Sayomi! I knew it was you!"

She stopped mid-stride and turned around to see Botan, Keiko, and Yukina. Botan looked as cheerful as ever. Keiko looked pleased to see the demoness. Yukina looked as sweet as the first time they met.

Sayomi tried her best to smile from under her hood. "Hey, guys. Didn't expect to run into you. Where are Shizuru and Atsuko?"

"They're in the room sleeping off a hangover," Keiko said with a hint of worry in her voice. "Are you okay? You don't look so well…"

 _Damn it, I knew it._ Sayomi shrugged her shoulders. "I guess it's just finals coming up. I just want them to win so we can leave already."

"Oh yes!" Botan nodded enthusiastically. "They will definitely win! You can count on Yusuke, even if he doesn't always use his head. Luckily, they have Kurama to balance that out."

"Yes, and they have _you_ to help them too, Ms. Sayomi." Yukina smiled warmly at the demoness. "You've been taking care of everyone so well until now. All that aura use must be affecting your body as well."

Sayomi glared down at the floor, grateful for the veil between them. She took a deep breath before answering. "It's no problem. Nothing I can't handle. You've been a big help lately, too."

"Oh it's nothing!" Yukina did a short bow and said, "I was just hoping to repay you all for saving me before."

"And she's here to find her brother," Keiko added, glad for a change in subject. "She thinks he might be here at the tournament somewhere."

Sayomi stiffened at the news. _Does she know?_ She peeked under her hood to glance at the ice maiden.

Yukina's eyes were closed and she smiled with a small fist over her heart. _"_ Yes, I feel like he is close by, but I don't know anything about him."

Sayomi let out a quiet breath of relief. _I guess that's good news for Hiei._ "I see. Well, good luck on your search." She was about to make her way to the stairs when Botan cut off her escape.

"And where do you think _you're_ going, Sayomi?" Botan wagged her finger at the demoness and said, "This is only the _second_ time we've gotten to see you. You should take a break from the boys and have a day with just us girls for a change."

Sayomi took a step back. She was about to escape when Keiko said, "That's a great idea! I've only seen you a couple times and every time was so short, I didn't get to know you at all."

Sayomi looked back and forth between Botan and Keiko. They were both smiling at her hopefully. She felt her aura shift until Yukina asked, "If it's not too much trouble, could you help us with finding my brother?"

She turned to see Yukina bowing her head low, pleading for her assistance. _You shouldn't be bowing to me…_ Sayomi sighed in defeat and said, "Alright, I'll help. But only because you guys don't really look like fighters. Although…"

She turned back to Botan and Keiko. _Keiko is able to put Yusuke in his place so I doubt she'll have any issue with weaker demons. And Botan is one of the Underworld's reapers. She seemed okay enough with a bat if I recall._ She looked back at Yukina's innocent smile and Hiei's words echoed in her memory.

" _I've decided on a favor. I want you to keep Yukina safe so long as she's here."_

 _Damn it, Hiei… You're lucky she's so sweet._ Sayomi followed the girls back outside with her hands in her pockets. She kept her hood on and stayed just behind the group.

"So where should we start looking, Yukina?" Keiko asked while glancing around at the various demons in the area.

"I suggest we go to the arena!" Botan cheered.

"But there are no fights today, right?" Keiko asked, turning to the reaper.

"Oh… Right." Botan smiled and said, "Silly me."

Sayomi looked up when she heard Botan's shift in tone. _So she knows… Of course she does. She's the reaper. At least she's_ trying _to_ appear _cheerful. I can't even think of anything to be happy_ about.

"Hey, Sayomi?" Keiko turned to face the demoness. "Do you have any ideas where to look?"

"Honestly, I think we're better off staying near the hotel. No sense getting lost in the woods and running into the wrong apparition." Sayomi scanned the area. "Besides, at least this way we'll be close to the room if anything happens."

"That's a good idea, Sayomi!" Botan cheered as she led the way around the building. "We might have a better chance of finding him while with a large crowd."

Sayomi raised an eyebrow. _She's trying really hard to not let the truth slip, isn't she?_

"Ms. Sayomi, if you don't mind me asking, why are you wearing your hood?"

Sayomi looked over at Yukina. The ice maiden was looking at her with open curiosity. Sayomi sighed and said, "I just don't need any attention for being Team Urameshi's healer. Besides, the sun is too bright today."

"I see. I suppose shadow demons like darker places, don't they?" Yukina let the topic go and Sayomi felt grateful.

"It does make things easier…" Sayomi tried not to let her sarcasm slip through.

"So, what's it like?" Keiko asked. "Being a demon, I mean. I don't mean to sound rude, but I just never…"

Yukina smiled and said, "Well, I can only speak from an ice maiden's perspective. I don't really know anything outside of the wintry realm."

Sayomi shrugged. "Depends on where you're from, I suppose. What's it like being human?"

"Oh, that's a good point." Keiko brought a finger to tap her chin in thought. "Well, I suppose the basics are going to school, getting a job, and raising a family."

Sayomi frowned at the thought. "That doesn't sound very fun."

"It _can_ be if you're with the _right_ _people_." Keiko smiled and said, "Demons have families, right? Like Yukina and her brother."

"Yes, but _our_ family ties don't usually end on a good note…" Sayomi thought of Yasuhiro. She tried to recall a time before he was corrupted by the Void. _If only I was strong enough back then… Maybe he wouldn't have felt such need for power…_

"I'm sorry," Keiko apologized. "I didn't realize… Let's change the topic…"

Sayomi felt herself tense when she heard the shame in her voice. _Damn it, I knew I wouldn't be able to do this._

"Oh! Keiko, have you had a chance to talk to Yusuke yet?" Botan turned to the brunette, hoping to raise her spirits.

"Yes, but not since before the last fights. When I went to check, Kuwabara said that he hadn't come back yet and neither has Genkai." Keiko began to worry as she thought about the possibilities. "I hope something hasn't happened to either of them."

"Oh, you don't need to worry about _them,_ Keiko!" Botan waved off the issue. "You know how strong _those two_ are. I'm sure Genkai is just taking advantage of the time to train him before the finals."

Sayomi clenched her fists in her pockets. _Botan knows, but they don't. I suppose it's best to not make them worry, but…_

"So, how are you two doing, Keiko?" Botan grinned and jabbed a finger at the girl. "Did you get _close_ when you were alone?"

Keiko blushed and glared at the reaper. "Nothing happened, Botan! The guys that Yusuke beat showed up and protected us from wandering demons."

 _So it seems Yusuke's made some unlikely friends at this tournament. Why does that not surprise me?_ Sayomi smirked at the thought. _He seems to be having fun here for the most part._

"Oh? Not even a _little bit?_ " Botan gave the girl her trademark cat-like grin. "Come on, girl! Give me _details!_ "

Sayomi cringed at Botan's increasing pitch. "Aren't we supposed to be focusing on Yukina's brother?"

"I don't mind." Yukina smiled at the girls. "I am also curious about what happened."

Sayomi raised an eyebrow at Yukina's statement. _Does she realize what she's asking about?_ "If this is just gonna turn into gossip, I think I'll take my leave."

"Oh, don't leave, Sayomi!" Botan grabbed her arm and said, "Gossip is part of girl time! Everyone knows that!"

Sayomi tried to pull free, but the reaper's grip was relentless. "I'm not your normal girl. It seems rather intrusive to me."

"Not at all!" Botan objected. "Girls share secrets with each other all the time. It's what we do, human, demon or otherwise."

"I've never felt comfortable giving away secrets." Sayomi scowled as she began to feel cornered.

"It's not as bad as you think, Sayomi." Keiko tried to reason with the demoness less forcefully. "Girls just need someone to talk to about certain things and who better than other girls who understand your feelings?"

 _That's what meditation is for…_ Sayomi stared at Keiko from under her hood. "You're telling me girls naturally do this? I wasn't raised to do such things. There weren't any other girls where I come from."

"Well what better time to learn than now?" Keiko smiled and turned to Yukina. "What about you, Yukina?"

"Yes. It's only women where I come from, and sharing feelings and gossip is one of the things everyone took part in."

"Still sounds like a bad idea to me." Sayomi shrugged free of Botan and said, "You guys can gossip all you like, but I'm not participating."

"Oh, Sayomi! Don't you have a _special_ _someone_ that you like to think about?" Botan smirked dangerously. "There's got to be a reason you spend all your time with the _boys_ , right?"

"Yeah, it's called _training_." Sayomi glared and tried to put distance between them. "It just so happens that the _guys_ are always the ones training."

"Ms. Sayomi, we understand your need to train, but do you _not like_ being around girls?"

Sayomi turned to Yukina and felt her shoulders slump in shame. "It's not that I _don't_ like you guys…" She bit her lip as she tried to think of the right words. "I'm just _not_ _like_ you. I don't see the point in all the girl stuff. None of it would seem to help in a serious situation."

Botan sighed. "I guess you're just too much of a tomboy to understand, but that's okay." She grinned and said, "We'll just have to give you a crash course! Have you ever tried make-up?"

"You know what? I think you would look cute with a touch of eyeliner and some shadow." Keiko wondered aloud. "What do you think, Yukina?"

"I've never tried it myself, but it sounds fun." The ice maiden smiled innocently and turned to Sayomi. "We could try it together."

"No thanks." Sayomi shot down the offer. "I don't _need_ it. And it looks like a hassle to deal with."

"But you'll look so pretty! You might even get the attention of a cute boy." Botan wagged her eyebrows and smirked. "You can't tell me you come from a place of all guys and you don't have a single crush."

Sayomi glared at the reaper and said, "Just because I hang out with them doesn't mean I need to be interested in them. They're fun to hang out with and I don't need relationships complicating things."

"What if a guy came to you and confessed that he liked you, though?" Keiko couldn't believe that Sayomi was so opposed to dating.

"I'll cross that bridge if I ever come to it." Sayomi gritted her teeth, trying to hold back an annoyed growl.

"Wait…" Botan blushed and raised a hand to keep anyone from eavesdropping. She lowered her voice and asked, "Is it because you're actually interested in _girls?_ "

Sayomi stared at Botan, her eyebrow twitching at the thought. "If I'm not comfortable hanging out with girls, why would I want to date one?"

Keiko lowered her voice and said, "Don't worry, Sayomi. You can trust us. It's okay to have a crush on a guy… or girl."

Sayomi sighed. "You're right, it is okay. But I just don't like anyone like that at the moment."

"Maybe we could hook you up with someone. Do you have a particular type?" Keiko smiled as she ran through a mental list of names.

"No thanks, and I never took the time to think about 'types'." Sayomi took deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

"What if _Hiei_ asked you out?" Botan smirked and her cat-like features began to show.

"Why would he?" Sayomi tried to ignore the images of the shirtless swordsman that flashed through her mind. "I highly doubt he would do anything of the sort."

"What makes you so sure?" Keiko asked. "You two seem to get along pretty well and you spend quite a bit of time together, right?"

"Yeah," Sayomi answered dryly. "Because we're _training_."

"Do you and Mr. Hiei train with Kazuma and the others?" Yukina tilted her head slightly in curiosity.

"Well… No…" Sayomi felt trapped. _Why did she have to bring that up?_

"Oh?" Botan smirked and said, "He gives you _private lessons?_ "

"Botan, get your head out of the gutter. It's not like that." Sayomi closed her eyes, not wanting to look at the reaper.

"Do you _want_ it to be like that?" Keiko asked casually.

Sayomi opened her mouth, then closed it. _Why am I hesitating?_ The memory of her and Hiei in the rain briefly came to mind. _But that didn't mean anything, right? He was just helping me…_

"I wonder…" Botan tapped her chin with her finger. "Is this your first crush?"

Sayomi sighed heavily. "Can we please change the subject?"

"There you are! You know how _hard_ it is to find you?"

Sayomi turned towards the vaguely familiar voice. She saw a young, shirtless man with spikey blond hair and baggy yellow pants. He had bandages wrapped around his head, torso, and arms. He scowled at her and said, "I've been looking all over for you. Where are Kurama and Kuwabara?"

Sayomi raised an eyebrow and asked, "And what do _you_ want? Who _are_ you?"

"I'm Suzuki, the Beautiful Fighter." He looked shocked that she didn't recognize him.

Sayomi felt her mouth hang slack as she recalled his fight against Genkai. _I will say… He looks more beautiful now than he did during the match…_ "Sorry. Must be the nose…"

Suzuki closed his eyes and smirked. "Heh… Not much to look at now, eh? I was outmatched and, as you saw, reduced to playing the buffoon."

"I think that was more you than us." Sayomi slipped a hand out of her pocket and reached behind her back. She stepped in front of the girls and asked, "Now what do you want?"

Suzuki held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I'm not here to pick a fight. I just wanted to give you something."

Sayomi kept her grip on the weapon but she relaxed her stance. "I'm listening."

Suzuki reached into his pocket and pulled out a dark fabric, handing it to Sayomi. "This is the Cloth of Dimensions. It's woven with thread from Demesne Spiders in the Demon Plane. It's the same material I used for Shishiwakamaru's Terminal Hagoromo. As you recall, it sends your opponent through another dimension. As for where it goes, that depends on the wielder. I've yet to make a study of its potential side effects." He turned to leave and said, "Use it… or not… as you like. See ya."

Sayomi unfolded the cloth and her eyes widened as it opened into a cloak. She looked up at him and asked, "Why are you doing this?"

Suzuki stopped walking. He glared ahead and said, "I once had the privilege of fighting Toguro."

 _What…?!_ Sayomi tried to imagine Suzuki against someone like Toguro. _How did he survive…?_

"Back then I was known as Tanaka, the Powerful Warrior."

Sayomi felt her eyebrow twitch at the title. _How many times has he changed his name?_

"Seeing Toguro at 30% power threw me into such a panic I couldn't beg for mercy fast enough – I'd have licked the bottoms of his shoes to get him to spare my life! He actually took pity on me and said, 'It's no fun killing something this pathetic… you're less than a piece of lint to me.' He was only half-right!" Suzuki turned to face Sayomi, his glare intensifying with resentment. "You see, this isn't about revenge. I want to believe that Toguro is _wrong._ He's convinced that power is everything. _Someone_ must be able to shatter that confidence… but I now know that someone _won't be me._ "

Sayomi looked down at the cloak and back up at the wounded fighter. "Why give this to _me?_ I'm the team's healer."

"Whether you use it or not is up to you. I've encountered a shadow demon before and if there's anything I learned from him, it was his desire for power. It drove him mad and one day he was just gone. I couldn't help him back then, but maybe this way I can make up for my past mistake. You look more like a fighter to me and if that's the case, maybe this could come in handy outside of the ring."

Sayomi clenched her fists and she took a slow breath. "What was this shadow demon's name, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Hm? I can't really remember. I think it was Mikage or something."

Oh…" Sayomi's shoulders slumped. If it was disappointment or relief, she couldn't tell. "Thank you. I'll be sure to use it if the need arises."

Suzuki shrugged and turned to leave with a final wave over his shoulder. "Good luck."

Sayomi stared back down at the cloak as the girls walked up to her curiously.

"Who was that, Sayomi?" Keiko asked as she watched him go.

"An unexpected ally." Sayomi wrapped the new cloak around her body. Unlike her old one that had become worn and faded over time, the new one was so dark, it seemed to absorb the light around it. On the reverse side, the material was like violet velvet. She pulled up the cloak hood and let the first hood fall back into a shawl around her neck. "Sorry, guys. I should probably go figure out what this does and I can't risk you all getting hurt."

"It's no problem, Ms. Sayomi." Yukina smiled warmly and said, "If what he said is true, then it's probably in your best interest. Thank you for coming with us today."

"Yes! We will have to do this again soon!" Botan nodded enthusiastically. "Don't think we'll let you slip out of this talk next time!"

Sayomi shuddered at the thought.

"Maybe we could all have a girls night in once this whole tournament is over." Keiko smiled at the demoness. "Just please take care of Yusuke for me until then."

Sayomi smirked under her new cloak. "You bet. I won't let anything happen to him, Keiko. Or any of the other boys."

Sayomi made her way into the forest and wandered around without a care for where she was going. _What should I do? There's no way I would survive in a fight against someone from Toguro's team. I haven't even fought in any of the other matches to see if I could compete or not. I can't just jump into the finals! Even with this cloak, who's to say it won't get used against me? Or what if I'm not strong enough to handle it?_

She growled in her throat as she thought of her brother. _He warned me to stop training… yet everyone seems to encourage me to keep on. If Yasuhiro was here to train me himself, would he encourage me too? Or would he try to talk me out of it?_

She walked until she felt far enough away from everyone. She sat down on the ground and prepared to meditate. She closed her eyes and took deep, slow breaths. She felt her muscles relax and her doubt recede.

She opened her mind's eye and found herself back in the Void. She looked down and found herself wearing the new cloak over her old purple tunic. The tattoos looked just as they did before. "Now, how is this supposed to work?"

She opened the fabric and tried to think of where it could lead to. "I suppose the most likely place would be the Void, but how would that work? Would it send my opponent here, or could I harness it and manifest it in the real world?"

She pondered the possibilities, but she couldn't bring herself to go about testing it. "If it _does_ send someone here, would it become a mental battle? Is my mind strong enough to handle something like that or would I lose myself?"

She focused her aura and willed it around the fabric like she would with her sickle. She felt a shift in the fabric and her eyes widened.

Sayomi opened her eyes and gasped for breath. She felt her shirt cling to her back with a cold sweat. She looked around and let out a sigh of relief. "I'm okay… But what was that…?"

Her body trembled as she got to her feet. "I can't do this… I can't…"

"What are you muttering about?"

Sayomi turned around to see Hiei. He was just in his black sweatpants with his sword in hand. She felt her face heat up and turned away. _Damn it! Why did he have to show up now?!_

She took a deep breath and turned back to face him. He was standing just a few feet away. She could smell the sweat that covered his skin. "I can't fight in the finals…"

His eyes hardened into a glare. "And why not?"

"Because I'm too weak. I haven't fought in any of the matches so far. How do I know I can _survive_ against a member from _Toguro's team?_ "

"We need five members for the finals, no exceptions. You were the one who was so eager to jump into the ring until now. Now that you have your chance, you're cowering in a corner like you've already lost. Even Kuwabara has more backbone than you." Hiei walked up to her and reached for the hem of her cloak. "Where did you get this?"

"Suzuki gave it to me. He said it was supposed to help me." She felt her body shiver involuntarily.

Hiei didn't miss it. "What does it do?"

Sayomi trembled again. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths until she felt calm again. "I'd rather not think about it right now. I could maybe use it later, but I'm not ready for it, yet."

"I see." Hiei tugged on the fabric, pulling her closer. Hiei cupped her chin in his hand and raised her eyes to look at him. He asked, "You intend to use something another man gave you?"

"If it could possibly help me, but I…" She hesitated at the tone of his voice. _Why does he sound so… annoyed?_

Sayomi stiffened when she felt his arm snake around her waist, trapping her against him. He leaned forward and growled in her ear. "What if I forbid it?"

Sayomi felt her body tense. _What's going on? What's wrong with him?_ "W-why would you forbid it?"

Hiei nipped at her earlobe, earning him a satisfying gasp from her lips. He pulled away and cupped the back of her head, running his fingers through her short hair. He smirked as she sighed in pleasure from his touch.

Sayomi felt her eyes fall shut, but she struggled to keep them open. She could feel the strength leaving her body, causing her to lean against him for support.

Hiei chuckled quietly. He gripped her hair and pulled her close, pressing his lips against hers.

Sayomi opened her eyes and found herself back in the Void. She frantically looked around and saw nothing but pitch black. "Was all that really just…?"

She brought her fingers to her lips and felt her face heat up. "Did I really just _imagine_ all of that? But… Why would I…?"

She shut her eyes and tried to shake the memory from her mind. "Damn it! It was probably because of Botan's insistence on the idea…"

She glared at the darkness and sighed. "That all felt too real… Why didn't I try to fight him off? Oh crap… Could they be right? But… I was just fine until they brought it up, right?"

She tried to think back to her previous interactions with the fire apparition. How he would pat her head to calm her down. The warmth that his body radiated whenever he would get too close. The way his eyes stared through her whenever they made eye contact. She felt her face begin to heat up at the idea of him training without his shirt. _Well… crap…_

She opened her physical eyes and scanned the area for any hidden lurkers. She let out a sigh of relief when she found none. "Well damn. This is going to be annoying."

"What is?"

Sayomi snapped her eyes up at a tree. Hiei was lounging in a branch several feet off the ground. He was wearing his black sweatpants and black shirt. His headband was absent and his Evil Eye was open. She scowled and asked, "How long have you been here?"

"A few minutes now. You left yourself vulnerable again."

Sayomi felt her body tense. "Were you observing?"

"Not this time. You seemed relaxed enough."

Sayomi felt her body heat rise, but she took deep breaths to stay in control. "I see. Thanks for watching out for me, I guess."

She stood up and stretched her legs. As she was about to leave, Hiei asked, "Are you not going to tell me what happened?"

Sayomi stopped and hesitated before turning around. _Damn it, why does he need to know?_ "Not much. I was just testing out this new cloak."

"I noticed. What does it do?"

"I'm… not really sure to be honest. One moment I thought I saw something. The next…" She refused to speak of what followed after.

"What did you see?"

Sayomi thought about it and said, "I'm not really sure. I remember focusing my aura on my cloak and then there was this overwhelming pressure. And then…"

"What?" Hiei refused to let her avoid the question.

Sayomi tried to mentally shake the memory away. "Then I snapped out of the meditation."

Hiei narrowed his eyes doubtfully. "That doesn't explain why you looked so relaxed when I got here. If what you're saying is true, then you would've looked more scared when I arrived."

"Are you sure you didn't interfere with my meditation like last time?" Sayomi felt obligated to ask. _If he did, does that mean…?_

"No. I didn't see any need to, based on your outer appearance. Should I have?"

"No!"

Hiei raised an eyebrow at her sudden outburst.

Sayomi cleared her throat and said, "Uh, I mean no. There was no need."

Hiei scowled and jumped down from the tree. He walked up to her with his hands in his pockets. "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing. I just…" She sighed and scratched the back of her head. "I don't think I can step in as the alternate tomorrow. I can't handle it. I'm not strong enough."

"Are you saying I've been wasting my time training you? What was the point if you were just going to back out at the last minute?"

Sayomi flinched at his sharp tone. "I just… I'm scared, Hiei." She looked down at the ground and slowly looked back at the swordsman. "I can't do this… not so suddenly during the finals… If I lose control…"

Hiei scowled and sighed. "Fine. But I hope you understand what this means."

Sayomi raised an eyebrow curiously. _So he's not mad?_

"If you're not going to fight, then that means you should be in the stands protecting Yukina. You're capable enough for that at least."

Sayomi felt her body relax, like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She smiled in relief and said, "Thank you, Hiei. I'll do my best."

"Hn." Hiei was about to leave when a sudden blast shot up into the sky. He looked up, eyes wide open in shock. "Is that…?!"

"Yusuke…" Sayomi watched the Reigun until it disappeared into space. She felt a smile creep on her face as hope stirred within her. _If he can defeat Toguro… Maybe there's hope for me, too..._

She looked over and saw Hiei walking away. "Where are you going?"

Without stopping, he said, "Unlike you, I have more training to do for the upcoming match tomorrow. You just make sure Yukina is unharmed until the end of the tournament."

Sayomi watched him until he was out of sight. She sighed and shook her head in shame. "Great. All that time building respect and in five minutes it's gone. I guess it's good that he still trusts me to look after Yukina, but…"

The memory of her meditation flashed through her mind and she shut her eyes tight. _But why did this have to happen_ now?

Later that night, Sayomi made it back to the hotel. She dragged herself up to the room where she found Yusuke in deep concentration. His hands were pressed together in front of him, aimed down toward the floor, and his aura flared around his body. She froze in place, amazed with his new power. _So this is the power Master Genkai passed on to him… She knew it would leave her vulnerable if it meant giving Yusuke a fair chance…_

"— _Ultimate weapon!_ Hope you're _prepared_ to –" Kuwabara charged into the room and stopped short when he saw Yusuke. " _Ulp!_ "

Yusuke brought his hands up in front of his face as he let out a slow exhale. "Phew…" Then he noticed his rival in the doorway. "Oh… hi."

"Hi yerself!" Kuwabara clenched his teeth as he gauged his teammate's aura level. Then he glared and pointed at Yusuke. "Doesn't matter! We each have _different_ chi! _Mine_ powers a one-of-a-kind aura sword, y'know!"

Yusuke blinked in confusion at Kuwabara's sudden outburst.

"That any reason to _bray_ like a witless donkey?" Hiei stepped into the room, casually staring up at the loud human.

" _Huh?!_ " Kuwabara turned in surprise.

"Hiei…" Yusuke's eyes widened slightly at the swordsman.

Kuwabara cringed and said, "Man, your _arm!_ It looks… _crisped!_ "

Hiei observed his burnt right hand and said, "The Dragon proved stubborn, so I had to get tough."

"Geez, Hiei…" Sayomi spoke up from beside the doorway. She walked up to him and kneeled down to look at his arm. "Did you really need to go _this_ far?" Without hesitating, she began to focus the shadows around her hands and began to heal his burns.

Hiei just stared down at her, letting her heal his arm.

Kuwabara laughed nervously. "Ha ha… He's nuts, plain nuts! And I didn't even _see_ her when I came in! So where's _Kurama?_ Anybody know?"

"Actually, I've…" Kuwabara froze at the sound of the red-head's voice behind him.

"…Been here a while." Kurama smiled at the jumpy psychic.

"Okay, the _gang's_ all here! To _business!_ " Yusuke told his teammates that Genkai wouldn't be coming back that day… but that's all he would say about it. No one pressed him for details, for which he was grateful.

One could sense the truth. One stayed inside himself. One focused her attention elsewhere. One remained clueless. Each, in their way, prepared themselves for what was coming… the day of the finals!


	30. Chapter 30

"Are you ready, yet? At this rate, the finals will be over before we even get there." Sayomi leaned against the wall next to the doorway in the girls' hotel room. She kept her hands in her pockets as she watched Keiko scurry around the room to get ready.

"Why didn't you go with the boys, Sayomi?" Keiko asked as she brushed through her hair and laid out her outfit.

"Since it's the finals, we thought it would be safer if you girls had a proper body guard in case things get out of hand. I was the only viable option." Sayomi scrunched her nose as a strong fruity smell assaulted her senses.

"We can handle ourselves! No problem!" Atsuko grinned and held up a beer can. "Who do you think raised Yusuke, anyway?"

Shizuru took a sip of her own beer. "If Kazu can handle himself around these demons, then they can't be that tough."

Sayomi shrugged and said, "I don't have much choice in this either."

"Did the gift from Mr. Suzuki not help?" Yukina stood next to Sayomi, waiting patiently.

Sayomi shook her head once. "I'm not capable of using it, yet. I'd rather not take the risk."

"What does it do?" Shizuru asked, studying the cloak from her seat on the couch.

Sayomi chewed her lip as she recalled her attempt to use it. Then her mind flooded with the illusion that followed after. She shut her eyes and tried to banish the memory away. "Couldn't figure it out. Like I said, I'm not strong enough."

"Then why would he give it to you?" Keiko asked from the bathroom. She was getting dressed and putting on her make-up.

"Beats me. He did say he was looking for Kuwabara and Kurama, too. Maybe it's just his way of making peace." Sayomi crossed her arms impatiently. "Where's Botan, anyway? I'm surprised she's not taking forever to get ready, too."

"She mentioned she needed to speak to her boss about something. Probably about the tickets if I had to guess." Shizuru finished her beer and set the empty can on the table.

"I see." Sayomi scowled under her hood. _Most likely about Master Genkai…_

"Okay! I'm all set!" Keiko walked out of the restroom wearing a colorful button-up top and khaki shorts.

"This took you an hour?" Sayomi arched an eyebrow skeptically. "You look the same as usual."

Keiko scowled and said, "No, I added a touch of blush and eyeliner. There's some eye shadow, some mascara—"

"I have no idea what any of that is and I can't really say I care. It's too subtle to make any real difference. Now if you're ready, _maybe_ we can make it before the first match." Sayomi kicked off the wall and walked out to the hallway with the girls trailing after her.

"What's got _you_ in such a bad mood?" Keiko asked hotly with Yusuke's beast in her arms.

Sayomi sighed and said, "Sorry. I just want to get this day over with. I wanted to be ring-side, but instead I was told to protect you girls. I guess it just bothers me a bit."

"Ms. Sayomi?" Yukina asked quietly.

"Yeah?" Sayomi stopped and turned back to see the girls had stopped following her.

The ice maiden pointed at three metal doors in the hallway. "The elevators are here."

"I prefer to take the stairs. Don't worry, I'll meet you down there." She waved over her shoulder as she turned towards the fire exit stairs. She was about to push the door open, but a slender hand beat her to it. She turned and realized it was Kuwabara's older sister. "Yes?"

Shizuru smirked and said, "I don't mind taking the stairs. I could use the exercise."

Sayomi shrugged and led the way down. About midway down, Shizuru said, "So I take it Genkai's death has gotten to you too, right?"

Sayomi sighed and her shoulders slumped sullenly. "Yeah… Guess it shouldn't surprise me that you have an awareness like your brother."

"It has its ups and downs." Shizuru ran a hand through her hair and said, "I've known her for some time, and yesterday, her spirit dropped by to say goodbye. She didn't say anything about… the end, but she seemed content. Death's no big deal for her, I think."

"Yeah, I guess you're right about that. I just wish I could've been there in time to say goodbye to her properly."

Shizuru smirked and slung her arm across Sayomi's shoulders. "Hey, if it makes you feel any better, she told me to tell you to keep being yourself. Just because you're not as strong as the guys, that doesn't mean you can't kick ass."

Sayomi couldn't stop the smirk from creeping to the surface. "It actually does. Thanks, Shizuru. You're actually not as _loud_ as the other girls seem to be, with the exception of Yukina."

Shizuru chuckled and said, "Growing up with a baby bro like Kazu required some stern discipline. Our mom passed and dad was always working."

"I see." Sayomi chuckled at the mental image. "That does explain a few things."

"Hey! You laughed." Shizuru smiled down at the hooded girl. "That's a lot better than the grumpy brooder I saw upstairs."

"Ha ha…" Sayomi smirked as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "Thanks, I needed a good laugh."

"I'll say. Now let's go watch the guys kick some Toguro ass." Shizuru gave Sayomi's shoulders a solid shake before exiting the stairwell.

At the stadium, they met up with Botan. She looked tired and her eyes were slightly puffy and red. She smiled when she saw the girls, but Sayomi saw the truth in her eyes. "Good morning." Sayomi raised an eyebrow at the reaper's blue demeanor. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I was so preoccupied when I spoke with Koenma, I forgot to ask him about tickets. I'm afraid we won't be able to watch the finals today…"

Sayomi resisted the urge to sigh. _Great. So we're stuck out here? Really regretting my decision right now._ "So does anyone have any ideas?"

"Well…" Shizuru popped the knuckles on each hand and said, "Looks like there's only one way in."

"You're not going to jump the bouncer again, are you?" Keiko asked in worry.

"Do _you_ have any bright ideas?" Shizuru asked, crossing her arms.

"Well, if we can't get tickets, then attack seems to be our only option." Yukina commented casually.

"'Atta girl!" Atsuko praised the girl. "If they won't listen to reason, give them a reason to listen."

Sayomi's eyes widened as she looked at Yusuke's mother. _I guess that explains a couple things about Yusuke's attitude…_

Shizuru smirked and draped her arm across Atsuko's shoulders. "Hey, follow my lead." She turned to the other girls and said, "We'll meet you in a few minutes. Just hang tight."

Sayomi arched an eyebrow in curiosity, but decided against action. _I don't think I really need to worry about them. The only one I'm really worried about is…_

She glanced over at the ice maiden. Yukina was conversing with Keiko and Botan with a carefree smile. Sayomi felt a pang in her chest and she turned away. _Damn it. I don't belong with them. I should've just gone with the guys._

Before long, Shizuru and Atsuko came back with smug grins as they held up six tickets with their names written on them. Shizuru smirked and said, "Okay, we're all set. Let's hurry before the fights start."

"I haven't done that since my teenage years!" Atsuko grinned. "Now let's go cheer on the boys!"

Sayomi arched a brow curiously as she followed behind the group. _There wasn't any commotion. What did they do to get so many tickets this late notice?_

" _Hello, everyone, and thank you for your patience! Sorry for the delay, but now… here's Team Urameshi!_ " Juri's voice blared through the speakers throughout the stadium.

"Ohhh! They're starting!" Atsuko exclaimed.

"Where do we sit?" Keiko asked looking down at her ticket.

"Second floor, section C, Row 7, seat 12." Botan read her ticket and led the way. "This way, ladies!"

They weaved through angry fans as the boys stepped out to the arena. Sayomi bit back to urge to growl as the demon crowd shouted insults at her teammates.

"The _nerve_ of 'em even _showing up!_ "

"Die, you bugs! _Die!_ "

" _Filthy humans!_ "

" _My money's_ on you all _buying it,_ so you'd _better!_ "

"If you know what's _good_ for you!"

" _And presenting…_ " Juri stood at the center of the ring, her arm raised. " _Team Toguro!_ "

The Toguro brothers stepped forward, along with their two other teammates. The demons all began to cheer and applaud the team of demons.

" _You go, Toguro! Massacre 'em!_ "

" _Give 'em such a thumping!_ "

"Huh? Only _four_ on each team?!"

"What's the _deal_ here?!"

Juri retrieved a tournament rule book and flipped through the pages. " _Quiet please!_ According to Tournament Rules, the finals are strictly _one-on-one!_ Whichever team takes out _three out of five matches_ will be declared the _winner!_ If a team suffers _no fatalities,_ then _a fifth member_ must be called in!"

Kuwabara leaned towards Yusuke and asked, "So who's _our_ fifth, huh?! Jin? Chu?"

"Hope he didn't chicken out…" Yusuke muttered to himself.

Sayomi looked down to see the boys and Team Toguro staring each other down. When she noticed the boys without a fifth member, her eyebrows drew down in confusion. _Only four? Didn't Yusuke say he would handle my replacement?_

"We've _already_ hit a snag, folks!" Koto announced from her booth. "No way to say just how things will go today!"

"C'mon, bring out your _fifths!_ Now!"

" _We're sick of waiting!_ "

"All right, we'll bring him out," Toguro said quietly. The doors behind him opened and a man in a black suit walked forward. He had long black hair with a long scar dragging down over one of his blue eyes.

"Hey! Isn't that the _Team owner?_ "

"Think so… but can he _fight?_ "

The human glanced up at the crowd, unaffected by their opinions. "Fighting's not my thing, actually. But I'll enjoy a close-up view of Team Urameshi's demise." He pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "Believe me, there's no chance I'll be needed."

"Sakyo's declaring _victory_ already!" Koto exclaimed in shock.

"He's confident. That's nice."

Kuwabara turned around at the sound of the new voice. The prince of the Underworld flung his red cape over his shoulder in his teenage body. The young psychic jumped at the ruler's sudden appearance. " _Koenma?!_ "

"Had to show off, huh?" Yusuke looked unimpressed by the dramatic entrance.

Sayomi paled when she saw Koenma standing in for her. _Oh no… Is that bad? Is he going to blame me for having to step in like that? Damn it, Yusuke! Couldn't you have chosen_ anyone _else?!_

Koenma stared down at the boys and said, "Those who govern the Underworld should avoid getting involved in affairs like this, but current circumstances force me to step _outside_ those bounds, and into this arena. In the unlikely event it comes down to me and whoever…" Koenma flipped his cape and turned to reveal booster rockets strapped to his back. "…I've got an _escape plan_ all figured out!"

Kuwabara fell back in surprise while Hiei glared at the prince. Kuwabara got back to his feet and growled, "He _serious?_ "

"Never needed him…" Hiei muttered as his eyes shifted up to the stands briefly.

"This is _completely irregular!_ " Juri raised her hand to stop Yusuke. "According to the rules, your alternate _cannot_ be brought up if _Genkai's still alive!_ "

Sayomi felt a cold chill run through her at the mention of her teacher. She didn't even notice that they had found their seats.

Yusuke stared at Juri and said, "…Well, Genkai is…"

"It's all right," Sakyo said. Juri turned to Team Toguro curiously.

The demon dressed in black with the mask turned to the referee and quietly said, "Their new guy seems devoid of any aura. I expect he's a place holder, to fill their slate."

"Heh…" Koenma stared at the apparition. "Very perceptive of you."

"Yeah, _very!_ " Kuwabara grumbled.

" _Here are our ten finalists!_ " Juri announced excitedly.

The crowd erupted with cheers and shouts of approval. " _It's starting at last!_ "

Kurama stared across the ring and locked eyes with the masked man. The apparition raised a finger to his head and said, "Bang!"

Kurama stepped forward and said, "I'll take him."

Juri raised her arm and announced, " _First match: Karasu vs. Kurama! Forward!_ "

Sayomi watched as the two fighters stepped into the ring. She didn't miss the quick exchange between the red-head and Kuwabara. _Suzuki said he was looking for them, too. I wonder if he gave them gifts to help them in the matches. Kurama was curious about Urashima's smoke. Did he give him something similar to use?_

" _Karasu!_ "

" _Butcher 'im!_ "

"The _opening match_ is about to _start!_ " Koto exclaimed into her mic. "The stadium's _erupting_ with _wild cheering_ for Team Toguro's _Karasu!_ Hey! There's _Team Urameshi rooters_ here, too!"

" _Nail 'im, Kurama!_ " Atsuko yelled as loud as she could.

Yukina turned to her, covering her mouth in worry. "Should we even _be_ here? I hear it can get _really rough_ during the finals."

"Tut tut…" Atsuko wagged her finger as she drank from a wine bottle. "The guys need our _support._ We can handle this crowd."

"How'd we get such _good seats?_ " Keiko asked Shizuru curiously.

The older girl smiled and said, "Let's just say we ran into a generous scalper."

"Genkai… Where's Genkai?" Yukina asked quietly.

"I don't _see_ her! Why isn't she in the ring?" Atsuko turned to Botan and asked, "Did she wear herself out in the semifinals? Whaddaya think, Botan?"

Botan looked as if she was in a daze until she heard her name. She smiled and said, "Huh? _Me?_ I, uh… heard her say you can't fight old age." She got out of her seat and made her way to the exit.

Atsuko pointed down at the ring and said, "So where you _goin'?_ It's about to start."

"Gotta… pick flowers… or something…" Botan scurried off to the nearest exit before anyone could stop her.

Keiko watched after her and said, "She's sure been acting odd."

When Shizuru got up to leave, Sayomi kept her eyes on the ring. She could tell the older girl was going to console the reaper. The other girls were still oblivious to the truth and she didn't have the heart to tell them.

When Kurama and Karasu made it to the center of the ring, Juri waved her arm and said, " _Begin!_ "

Karasu lifted his hand as he began to manipulate his aura, causing short sparks to buzz in the air. He calmly stared at Kurama and said, "Is that how you want to _face me?_ You're not here to just _throw your life away,_ I hope."

"It's none of your business _how_ I choose to face you… and defeat you." Kurama lifted a handful of rose petals and let them dance in the air around him. He flicked his hands to control the flurry of petals and sharpen their edges. Karasu casually advanced forward, despite the danger.

Koto's eyes widened at the scene before her. "Kurama seems to have raised a shield of… _flower petals?_ Karasu's _strolling_ right into the thick of it!"

As one of the petals sliced Karasu's cheek, he ignored the bleeding cut and focused on Kurama. "Flower petals as sharp as razors… How artful…" He weaved through the tiny razors with ease, avoiding anymore scratches. "…If a tad delicate."

Sayomi felt tense as she watched Kurama's opponent close in on him. _Is he suicidal or that confident in his skills?_

Kurama focused his aura on the petals so they honed in on Karasu. As they closed in, Karasu lifted his hands and all the petals exploded around him.

" _Huh?!_ " Kurama's eyes widened in shock.

"Heh…" Karasu chuckled as he looked at Kurama through the smoking petals. "I see this comes as a _surprise._ " He lifted his hands and said, "You figured my angle was projecting my demonic aura into the objects I _touch_ , and destroying them from within." He seemed to smile as Kurama began to perspire nervously. "So you've got it _completely wrong._ Which shows that you and I are _worlds_ apart. I'll ask again… Is _that_ how you want to face me?"

Karasu dashed forward and swiped his hand at Kurama. Kurama dodged back, using his hand to lunge to the side. He skidded across the ring in a kneeling position, keeping his eyes on Karasu until his left arm exploded.

" _Aah!_ Guuh…!" He slumped in pain as he tried to apply pressure on his wound with his other hand.

" _Kurama!_ " Yusuke and Kuwabara shouted in worry.

"What the hell happened? Why is Kurama bleeding?" Sayomi gripped the armrests of her seat anxiously.

"Looks like Kurama _miscalculated,_ and received a _serious hit!_ But _how'd_ Karasu do it?!" Koto exclaimed, just as confused as everyone else.

"See? I didn't have to touch you." Karasu stared down at the wounded red-head. He lifted his hand and said, "Would you like a hint? Just as you control plants, I control something as well… something I can also _create._ "

"I don't get it! Kurama's _not changing!_ " Kuwabara growled with clenched teeth. "Was Suzuki pulling a _fast one_ on us after all?!"

"Would you like to see it?" Karasu asked. "Oh, but you can't… not in your _current_ form. But talk is cheap, right? Would you _like_ to see…" He began to manipulate his aura, causing Kurama to tremble under the pressure. "…How you're going to die? Of course you would. Let me bring it into your range of visibility…"

Kurama could only watch as Karasu unveiled his creation. It was three organic-looking dynamite sticks strapped together with a ticking clock. On one end of the sticks were demonic skulls while the other end had the fuses.

"What the…?" Kurama's eyes widened at the item.

"That's right… _a bomb!_ " Karasu jumped and threw the bomb down at Kurama. There was a large blast and the ring began to become covered in smoke.

" _Kurama!_ " Yusuke shouted angrily as he raised his arm to shield himself from the blast.

"No!" Sayomi shouted from her seat.

"Ow!" Karasu skidded back across the ring. Blood dripped from his hand where a red rose pierced through his palm. He stared down at the rose mournfully. "Last act of defiance…"

" _Nearly_ the last." Karasu looked up to see a figure through the smoke. "Shuichi Minamino would've been vaporized…" The smoke cleared and Yoko Kurama stood in the ring, bleeding from various cuts on his arms and head. He licked blood from his fingers and said, "So you're a _demon bomber,_ Master Class. Nice to meet someone else at my level now…"

" _Whew! Just in time!_ " Kuwabara grinned triumphantly.

Sayomi let out a sigh of relief. "Damn, that was too close…"

Yoko smirked at Karasu and said, "… _I'll kill you._ "

Karasu glared at Yoko and summoned more demonic bombs from thin air. "I'm not dying today."

"Kurama's transformed into the _fox demon!_ " Koto announced excitedly. "Doesn't look like he weathered that blast _unscathed,_ though!"

Yoko smirked and said, "A Master of explosives is not something Shuichi Minamino could handle at this stage."

" _With Kurama back as the Fox Demon, this match has been blown wide open!_ " Koto cheered.

"Heh heh…" Karasu chuckled as he looked at Yoko. "Is that how you'll excuse losing? Because you're _going to,_ even in that form! And here's how."

Karasu summoned more bombs from his aura, small demonic eyeballs with bat wings and a lit fuse on their heads. He pointed at the fox demon and sent his bombs flying towards the target with high pitched screeches.

"Tracer eyes: sub-organisms spawned by my demonic aura. As you know, what a master _envisions,_ he can _create._ " Karasu watched as Yoko jumped out of the way of a few of the bombs.

Yoko ran around the ring, avoiding contact with the small deadly threats. "Ever hear of the _Humble Plant,_ by chance? It's a South American perennial that closes its leaves when touched by hand or fire."

Karasu stared down his nose at the fleeing fox. "Horticulture's not my thing. Note that you're hemmed in. In fact, I'd say you're in a bit of a fix."

Yoko ignored the bombs that surrounded him and addressed his opponent. "Perhaps. Back to the Humble Plant…" He began to chant in an ancient language until large thorny stems sprung up from beneath the ring, setting off the bombs and taking the damage for the former bandit. They had small buds with mouths that screeched in anger.

" _Whoa!_ " Everyone's eyes widened and stared in surprise at the turn of events. The younger Toguro brother seemed interested at the very least.

Large-leafed demonic plants writhed around Yoko, growing larger as he fed them with his aura. He stood at the base of the botany with his arms crossed and said, "The Demon Plane variety has a vicious temperament. It'll attack anything that moves or emits excessive heat. That means _you,_ woman. If you wish to live, _stay still!_ "

He glared down at Juri who sat frozen in fear. She twitched as she fought to urge to move away. "You bet."

One of the plants mouths made a high pitched sound and Yoko narrowed his eyes on Karasu. "Well now, I'd say it's found an _enemy._ " The large leaves advanced on the bomber, opening their leaves to reveal large hidden mouths with sharp teeth. Yoko smirked and said, "There's _no escape,_ I'm afraid."

" _Unh!_ " Karasu dodged as the leaves crashed into the stadium floor.

"The tables have _turned – dramatically!_ " Koto shouted into her mic. "Karasu appears to be in a _pretty pickle!_ "

"Hmph!" Karasu raised a hand and threw a bomb into one of the predatory plants. The large leaves burned and fell to the ring in ashes. Then another mouth closed in from his blindside. Karasu's eyes widened as he realized his situation.

"Partial attacks won't do much, I'm afraid." Yoko held his finger to his head like a gun and said, "Bang!"

" _Gaah!_ " Karasu was caught by one plant first. Then they all began to close in from all sides, caging him in the air as the plants started to feast.

"Hmm…" Yoko watched the plants in disappointment. "All wrapped up. I thought he'd have more _fight_ in him."

"Amazing!" Koto cheered. "Looks like _this match_ goes to _Kurama!_ As the _Fox Demon,_ he's proved _overwhelming!_ "

" _Way t' go, Kurama!_ " Kuwabara praised with a clenched fist.

" _That didn't even take the whole 15 minutes!_ " Yusuke cheered.

"Yeah! Way to _show him,_ Kurama!" Sayomi grinned in relief.

Juri waved her arm towards Kurama and announced, "With Karasu _out of commission,_ the _match_ goes to –" She was cut off as Kurama's plants exploded to burning bits behind her. She and Yoko turned around to see Karasu still alive and unharmed.

Karasu landed on his feet with his hands in his pockets. His mask was missing and there was blood speckled on his face. " _Who's_ out of commission?"

Juri grinned nervously and said, "No one, Karasu! Certainly not _you!_ Let the match _resume!_ "

Karasu stared at Yoko and smiled. "I've taken quite a _liking_ to you, Kurama. _I'll see you dead for sure!_ "

"His mask came off," The elder Toguro notified his brother.

"Not good." The Younger Toguro addressed his team owner. "Get behind me, Mr. Sakyo… _quickly._ "

" _Kaaah!_ " Karasu began to gather his aura, charging it until it visibly engulfed his body and changed his hair to a shocking blond.

Koto's eyes widened at the transformation. " _Karasu's hair has changed color! Even from here I can see his aura building in strength!_ "

"He's drawing flammable elements in to fuel a _whole-body explosion._ " Hiei watched the ring, unimpressed but preparing for the inevitable. "His hands are the _fuses,_ I bet. Brace for a _major shockwave._ "

Karasu smirked and raised his hands, charging them with his demonic aura. He continued to build it up until it was a large mass of electric energy. " _Ha ha ha! Die!_ "

"Looks like a big one, guys." Toguro took a few steps back and said, "Better get further back."

Karasu jumped into the air and leapt straight for Yoko. The Fox Demon was caught off guard as the bomber made impact. There was a large explosion, bigger than any others so far. It blew a massive hole into the stadium wall, killing hundreds of demon fans.

" _Ha ha ha!_ " Karasu laughed as debris flew through the air and demons screamed in agony from the heat.

" _Whoo!_ " The boys jumped back, riding the shockwave as it sent them back. Kuwabara was unfortunate to lose his balance and flew through the air until he landed on his head.

Sayomi raised her cloak to shield herself from the heat and any debris that flew her way. When she checked on the girls, she sighed in relief that they were all okay.

Yusuke looked around himself to check on his team. " _Everybody okay?!_ "

"Seems so…" Kuwabara sat up and rubbed the bump on his head. He got to his feet and frantically looked around. " _But where's Kurama?!_ "

"Heh…" Karasu smirked in amusement.

" _Huh?!_ " Yusuke gasped in shock. " _Kurama?!_ "

Sayomi looked down at the ring and she paled when she saw the red-head kneeling in the ring. He was covered in blood and dirt and his clothes were torn in various places. "What happened? Why did he change back?"

" _Kurama's been knocked out of his Fox Demon form!_ " Koto announced, surprised at the reversal. "And he looks quite a bit _worse for wear!_ "

"He's changed _back!_ " Yusuke exclaimed. "The _potion_ must've worn off!"

"But it's only been 5-6 minutes!" Kuwabara countered in disbelief. "The potion was supposed to last _15!_ "

" _Unh!_ " Kurama grunted in pain as he looked down to see he was back in his human body and seriously wounded. He glared up at his opponent in defiance as he tried to think of a plan.

"Sorry to intrude on your thoughts…" Karasu casually stalked towards the bleeding red-head. "But you might want to say your prayers. May you know a minimum of pain…"

" _Rrgh!_ " Kurama swung his arm, channeling his aura into his hand. He gasped when his aura dispersed altogether.

Karasu smiled and said, "Your demonic aura is too weak to enable you to form plant weapons. I daresay you probably can't even perceive _my aura_ at this point."

" _Blast!_ " Kurama sprang to his feet and charged towards Karasu. When he closed in, he swung his leg in a strong kick. Karasu jumped over it and leaned back to avoid Kurama's hand. Kurama pursued Karasu with a series of punches and kicks while the bomber simply dodged.

"First time we've ever seen Kurama fall back on martial arts!" Koto observed. "Karasu just _counters_ with tight, efficient moves!"

"Kurama's up to something." Hiei muttered quietly.

"I hope he has a plan." Sayomi watched the match intensely, absorbed in the action.

"Is pain fogging your brain?" Karasu asked with a sly smile. He raised his hand and gathered his aura. "Closing in on me is _suicide!_ "

Kurama jumped up, dodging Karasu's bomb and continuing his advance. "As I can't see your aura, proximity hardly matters." He closed in and pushed Karasu across the ring.

Karasu regained his balance and opened his shirt to observe the cut on his chest. "A good, well-placed strike. However…" He reached into the wound and pulled out a seed. "…Was this your _real_ purpose? To place the _Deadly Vetch_ on me? I'm surprised you'd try that again."

Kurama glared at Karasu, guarding his emotions from his opponent.

Karasu set the seed on fire with a small explosion. "Still, you have managed two damaging hits on me. Congratulations."

Kurama prepared himself for whatever was coming next. He didn't expect the bomb that chomped onto his foot from the stadium floor. He gasped and looked down to see a small eyeball at the end of a long fuse. The eyeball opened to reveal a mouthful of sharp teeth. It laughed and said, "Gotcha."

Karasu smirked and explained, " _That's my 'Muddy Bomb.'_ "

The bomb went off, blowing Kurama off his feet and making his leg bleed profusely. " _Aaagh!_ "

Kurama was struggling to get back up when Yusuke shouted, " _Freeze, Kurama! He's got you penned in!_ "

Kurama made it to his feet and stood still. Karasu began to walk towards Kurama as he said, "Does it matter? You can barely stand. You're out of options, I'd say. There's no summoning Demon Plane flora… or turning ordinary plants into weapons." Karasu reached out to Kurama, who glared at him in defiance. "I, on the other hand, _could blow you to bits._ "

Kurama's left shoulder and right elbow were hit with small blasts. " _Yaargh!_ " Kurama screamed in agony from the pain as he was brought down to his knees.

Karasu looked down at him and said, "But I won't. I wish to keep you with me. Well, your _head_ , at least."

Kurama glared up at Karasu and slowly got to his feet again. Sayomi clenched her teeth as she fought the urge to go down to help. _He's killing himself! At this rate, even if he wins, he won't survive much longer!_

Karasu sighed and waved his arm. "I'll dismember you, bit by bit."

Two more blasts erupted on Kurama's side and his right thigh.

" _Kurama!_ " Yusuke and Kuwabara shouted fearfully.

The red-head fell back down to the ring floor, groaning in pain as he bled from his wounds.

" _He's down!_ " Juri announced.

"Woohoo! That's _sweet,_ Karasu!"

" _Bomb 'im!_ "

" _Bomb 'im!_ "

" _Bomb 'im!_ "

" _Bomb 'im!_ "

" _Bomb 'im!_ "

Koto grimaced as she announced, "The cheering's so _loud_ I can barely think! From what I can tell, though, Juri's _taking a count!_ "

Kurama made it to his knees with his eyes trained on Karasu. The bomber sighed and said, "I scarcely think that's necessary. For him it's simply life…" He raised his hand, charging for another attack. "… _Or death!_ "

Just as Karasu released his aura, Kurama charged his aura and summoned a large demonic plant. The attack drained Kurama until he passed out on the ring. The plant's vines reached for Karasu and pierced his chest where his wound was still bleeding.

Karasu coughed up some blood as he looked down. "A… Vampire Plant…? I don't… He couldn't… have summoned…" Karasu became pale as the plant drained his blood. His body fell to the ring floor and the plant finished off the rest.

" _Kurama!_ " Yusuke shouted, trying to rouse his teammate.

Kurama twitched as he slowly regained consciousness. His eyes slowly opened and focused as he slowly pushed himself to his feet. His body trembled from the effort and blood loss, but he was alive.

" _Kurama's won!_ " Kuwabara cheered along with the rest of his team. " _A mind-blowin' comeback!_ "

Sayomi slumped back into her seat and let out a big sigh of relief. "Thank goodness he made it through the match alive."


	31. Chapter 31

" _Way to go, Kurama! Yer the comeback kid!_ " Kuwabara cheered, pumping a fist into the air. " _One down, two to go!_ "

Yusuke jumped into the ring and ran up to his wounded teammate. "Lemme help ya, Kurama!"

"Thanks." Kurama let Yusuke support his right side. "Sorry about the match."

"Huh?" Yusuke looked at Kurama, confused by the apology.

"Heh…" Toguro smirked knowingly.

" _And the winner of this match: Karasu!_ " Juri announced, waving her arm towards Team Toguro.

" _What?!_ " Sayomi jumped out of her seat in disbelief and glared down at the ring. She felt her shadow shift around her in anger. "That's a load of crap!"

"Didn't _Kurama_ win? What's going on?" Keiko asked, hugging Puu in worry.

"Maybe she just got their names mixed up." Atsuko suggested.

The scoreboard lit up with an X under Kurama's name and an O under Karasu. Kuwabara turned to the board and his mouth fell open in shock. "What the ding-dong?! Kurama _nailed_ Karasu but good!"

Juri turned to Team Urameshi and said, "Kurama took the _full count!_ He struck back while _still technically down!_ And was not back up until _after_ I counted to 10! I do my job, y'know."

Yusuke's eyes widened and he clenched his teeth in surprise. "10 counts…?! I couldn't hear…"

"Hardly anyone could," Kurama confessed quietly.

"We _didn't hear_ Juri's count over all the wild cheering!" Koto explained as she watched a play-back of the match on a small TV. "Instant replay confirms Kurama was _not up_ before the count was complete!"

" _Yeah! Take that, Team Urameshi!_ "

" _Team Toguro will getcha in two!_ "

" _Getcha in two!_ "

" _Getcha in two!_ "

" _Getcha in two!_ "

" _Shut up!_ " Kuwabara glared up at the crowd of demons. "We may've lost the match, but _we won the fight!_ "

"You shut up!"

" _Boo! Boo! Kuwabara!_ "

"Die!"

Kuwabara growled. " _He who lives longest, laughs last!_ "

"Drop dead!"

"I wouldn't count on that." The elder Toguro spoke with certainty.

The crowd hushed into silence and Kuwabara muttered, "Oh sure, they shut up for him!"

"Don't forget," The Toguro brother said, staring down at the human. "Each winning team member gets his heart's desire. You know what I desire? To see you _dead…_ every one of you."

" _Kill!_ "

" _Kill!_ "

" _Kill!_ "

"Grrr!" Kuwabara growled, but he began to get pale and sweat nervously.

Hiei stepped forward and said, " _My_ heart's desire is to never attend another of these asinine tournaments. I wish its backers would all _drop dead._ "

Across the field, Sakyo smirked as if remembering a private joke.

"Yusuke…" The detective looked over at Hiei. "…I wanted to fight 'shades' Toguro, but I'll yield to you for Genkai's sake."

"Hiei…" Yusuke couldn't think of a proper response to the gesture.

Hiei stepped into the ring and said, "I'll make do with 'Mr. Axe.'"

The armored warrior stepped into the ring with heavy footsteps. He wielded a large axe that was just as large as he was. He towered over Hiei when they met at the center of the ring.

"Yeah! Get 'im, Bui!"

" _Whack that runt in two!_ "

"Think I'm height challenged, eh?" Hiei removed and discarded his cloak with a smirk. He wore a black sleeveless shirt and black sweatpants with four white belts. His right arm was wrapped tightly with bandages.

"Yow!" Kuwabara grimaced. "He's got _bandages on bandages_ now! Didn't Sayomi _heal_ that arm?"

"Huh! They're _curse bindings!_ He skipped some basic steps, though." Kurama informed the ignorant psychic.

Kuwabara turned to his teammate curiously. "What're those?"

Sayomi looked down and noticed Hiei's arm. _He shouldn't need any bandages unless…_ "Did he really do it…?"

" _Begin!_ " Juri announced.

The axe wielder dashed towards Hiei with unbelievable speed.

" _Bui makes the first move!_ " Koto said into her mic.

Sayomi's mouth fell open in shock at the sight. _Does his gear not slow him down?!_

Bui brought down his axe and let it crash into the ring floor. Hiei stood behind him with a bored expression. "Don't play around. I'd like a _real_ fight, okay?"

Bui let out a slow breath. Then he clenched the handle of his axe and raised a block of cement from the ring. He rotated his wrist so the block was in the air, sitting on top of the blade.

"Holy…" Kuwabara's eyes widened and he clenched his teeth in surprise. "… _What strength!_ "

With a swing of his arm, Bui flung the cement block from his axe. It crashed into the floor just in front of Hiei, throwing up a screen of dust and debris. Hiei raised his arm to protect his eyes. "That old gambit…!"

Just as Hiei finished speaking, Bui was in front of him with his axe raised.

" _Yikes!_ " Yusuke exclaimed with wide eyes.

"No escape now," Toguro said confidently.

" _Dodge it, Hiei!_ " Sayomi shouted desperately from her seat.

" _Slice 'im up!_ " The crowd cheered eagerly.

"Hmph…" Hiei raised his left arm to catch the axe by the blade. The axe melted as soon as it touched his hand. The crowd was stunned to silence as Bui released his disintegrating weapon.

Hiei glared at Bui and growled. "Like I said… Don't play around. Did you think an aura-less scrap of iron would bother me? I'm giving serious thought to being insulted."

"H-he _melted_ that huge axe like it was a chocolate bar!" Kuwabara gaped at the ring, unable to wrap his mind around what he saw.

"No question Hiei's gained a _new_ level of power!" Kurama stared at the ring, perplexed by Hiei's quick progress.

Sayomi slumped back into her seat in awe. _Since when could he do_ that?!

Bui stared at Hiei and said, "You have convinced me that this armor won't do me any good at all."

"Wow!" Juri exclaimed as her fin-like ears twitched. "Didya _hear that,_ Tournament fans? For the very first time, Bui _spoke!_ What a deep voice he's got!"

Bui calmly reached for one of his shoulder pads. When he flung it outside the ring, its weight caused it to sink into the earth on impact.

"Yow!" Kuwabara's pupils dilated at the sight. "That guy was wearing enough armor for a _tank!_ "

"Hey, kid with the spiky hair!" Atsuko called out drunkenly. "He's open! _Hit 'im!_ "

"Shush!" Botan tried to calm her down. "I don't think that's his style."

Sayomi glared down at the ring with her arms crossed. She took deep breaths to keep herself from getting too excited. _What are you_ thinking _, Hiei?! Do you_ want _him to go all out? What the hell are you trying to prove?_

Bui removed the last of his body armor and reached for his helmet as he said, "Armor normally protects the body from attack. But in my case…" He removed his helmet and mask and tossed it out of the ring with the rest of his armor. "…It serves as a _restraint._ "

Bui was tall and lean with short powder blue hair and a scar in the middle of his forehead, just above the bridge of his eyes. He wore dark blue tights with a gray abdomen and limb guards. Orange cloth wrapped around his waist and covered his feet. He clenched his fists and his aura began to visibly manifest around him. "You see, my powers aren't easy to contain."

"Hey, this sounds _promising!_ "

"But not for you, you smug little _runt!_ "

Bui's aura flared green around his body and he began to lift up from the ring floor.

"A Battle Aura!" Kurama recognized the technique. "That's what _really_ protects him! Biggest I've seen… Even allows him to _levitate!_ "

Bui smirked down at his opponent and said, "Hope you meant what you said. I, too, want a _memorable_ match."

"Oh, it _will_ be." Hiei smirked as he broke the seal and began to unravel the bandages from his right arm.

Kuwabara turned to Kurama, alarmed by the action. "He's _removing_ those _bandages!_ What _are_ curse bindings, anyway?!"

Kurama kept his attention on the ring as he answered Kuwabara's question. "Just like Bui's armor… they're talismans, to restrain his power because once set loose, such power is _unstoppable._ When those two powers clash, this stadium will be _torn apart!_ "

"Hm?!" Bui gasped when he saw Hiei's burning arm.

Hiei removed the last of the bandages. Through the dark flames, a black dragon tattoo could be seen winding down his arm to the back of his hand. His headband was gone and his Evil Eye opened. Hiei smirked and said, "I don't remember how these go back on, so there's no going back now." The fire around his arm flared about restlessly. " _Watch how I've mastered the Black Dragon!_ "

"He really did it…" Sayomi couldn't tear her eyes away from the marking on his arm. _I know it's not the same, but… Hiei… please don't let this power consume you like it did Yasuhiro…_

"Hiei's unveiled one _heck_ of an _aura!_ " Koto announced in admiration.

"Th-the _Black Dragon…?!_ " Kurama stared in open shock.

" _C'mon!_ " Hiei grinned and dashed towards Bui. As he ran, the Black Dragon began to take shape. He reached forward and released the flaming beast from his arm. " _Black Dragon Unholy Fire!_ "

" _Raaah!_ " Bui shouted as the dragon closed in on him. He raised his arms and caught the dragon by the jaws.

Everyone watched with a mix of shock, fear, or in Toguro's case, approval.

The dragon's force was so strong, it continued to press against the warrior. Bui held onto the dragon as it pushed him around the stadium, killing any fans who were unfortunate enough to be in its path. He clenched his teeth as he resisted the dragon's flame. " _Narrr!_ "

The stadium shook as the ceiling began to crumble in some areas. Koto stood from her seat, excitedly commentating for the listeners at home. "Th-the Black Dragon's loose and running amok! Weaker spectators are being incinerated!"

Sayomi gritted her teeth as she fought the urge to flee. She looked over at the girls and saw them staring at the dragon in awe. _Damn it! This isn't good!_ She looked back at the dragon and gasped when it crashed through the roof.

" _Raaah!_ " Bui shouted in defiance and flung the dragon away. It slithered back down to the ring and Bui grinned in triumph. " _Did it!_ "

Hiei's eyes widened when he saw the Black Dragon flying towards him. He couldn't move out of the way quickly enough and the dragon chomped down on him in one fell swoop.

" _No!_ " Sayomi stood up from her seat and stared up at the wild Dragon that flew through the sky. _He can't be—!_

Bui landed back in the ring in a kneeling position. He got to his feet and began to laugh openly. " _Ha haah! That's the match! I've defeated the Blazing Fist!_ "

The remaining fans in the stands broke out into excited cheers.

"That's _two wins in a row_ for _Team Toguro!_ "

"Stadium's a shambles, though."

Yusuke could only stare in shock at the ring where his teammate stood. Kuwabara was sweating profusely and his eyes were as wide as they could get. "He… He beat Hiei…"

Bui froze when he felt a powerful demonic aura behind him.

"Why's everybody all excited?" The black flames began to condense into a familiar humanoid shape. "I haven't even gotten to the _good_ part!"

Bui couldn't bring himself to turn around. His eyes were wide open and he perspired freely from fear.

" _Hiei!_ " Yusuke grinned in relief next to a stunned Kurama.

Sayomi felt warm tears spill down her eyes when she saw Hiei jump back into the ring. _He… survived… but how…?_

Bui turned and trembled in place as he asked the fire demon, "What? _How?_ "

The crowd buzzed with confusion and interest in the turn of events.

"He seems the same… Those marks on his arm are gone, though."

"Don't just _stand_ there, Bui! _Smash 'im!_ "

Yusuke stared at Hiei curiously as he addressed Kurama. "So _that's_ what he meant…"

"Yes…" Kurama confirmed. "…He _consumed_ the Black Dragon! A true master can attain dominance over and absorb the Black Dragon's immense energy. Bui's sufficiently advanced to know what he's now up against."

" _Unh…!_ " Bui trembled as he tried to overcome his hesitation.

"See it?" Hiei asked Bui. "Yes, you recognize a _true mastery_ of the Black Dragon." Black flames began to emit all around Hiei's body and mix with his demonic aura. "It's not a weapon, not in the way most might expect. What it does is _enhance_ its master's capacities to the _nth degree!_ "

"Arr…! _Blast you!_ " Bui jumped and landed a strong right cross to Hiei's face.

Hiei stared back at Bui and smirked.

" _Yaah!_ " Bui charged towards Hiei. Before he could land another hit, Hiei delivered a quick push of aura into Bui's stomach. His breath escaped him and he clenched his teeth in pain. "Hurk!"

The audience watched in stunned silence as Hiei jumped up after Bui. He appeared just behind the warrior and punched him back down to the stadium where he crashed into the stands. Bui landed flat on his back with his arms and legs spread open. His landing was hard enough to leave a crater in the shape of his body. Hiei landed lightly on his feet and stared down at his opponent.

"Do it… Finish me." Bui groaned in defeat. He stared up at Hiei and said, "When Toguro first defeated me… I knew I could improve, get stronger. The prospect of a rematch motivated me to exceed myself, but… Toguro improved, too. So much so, I've _no hope_ of challenging him again. Losing to you confirms it. I've no reason left to live."

"Hmph!" Hiei stared down at Bui and said, "You want to die, do it _yourself._ " He jumped back and landed in the demolished ring.

" _8! 9!_ " Juri had already started her count.

Hiei smirked up at Bui and said, "I don't take _orders_ from _nobody!_ "

" _10! The match is over!_ " Juri raised her arm and gestured toward Team Urameshi. " _The winner: Hiei!_ "

Hiei made his way back to his team as Yusuke cheered, "All right! The score's _evened up!_ "

"Do we dare get _near_ you?" Kuwabara asked in worry.

"That was _awesome,_ Hiei!" Yusuke grinned with Kurama still leaning against him for support.

Kuwabara crossed his arms and said, "If you wanna tackle the _rest_ of 'em, be my guest!"

"I… can't. This technique has an… unfortunate drawback." Hiei wobbled on his feet as he fought to keep his balance.

"What's that?" Yusuke and Kuwabara asked curiously.

"Let's just say that it's _my turn_ to hibernate for a few hours." Hiei let out a yawn with his eyes half-open and said, "Gotta… recharge… It's unavoidable…but…" He pointed at the humans and said, "… I'll trust you sorry wimps… to hold up… our side. If… when I wake up… I find you've lost… you'll be… be… sorry…!" By the time he finished speaking, he was passed out on the floor.

" _Huh…?_ " Yusuke and Kuwabara blinked in confusion.

" _Pfft!_ " Yusuke couldn't hold it in anymore and he started laughing. "Arrogant and overbearing to the last."

"Hmm…" Koenma stared down at the slumbering demon. "Gotta say… he looks so peaceful… You wouldn't think he'd just blown this stadium apart."

Kuwabara stared down at the runt and muttered, "I could graffiti his face…"

"Hiei!" Sayomi stood up from her seat. She looked down at the girls and she gritted her teeth. "Damn it."

"It's okay, Sayomi. You go ahead," Botan said with an encouraging smile. She seemed more herself then she did when they met up.

"But I'm supposed to –"

"Ms. Sayomi…" Yukina stared down at the boys with worried eyes. "It looks like Mr. Hiei and Mr. Kurama really need you."

"Besides, we've been okay until now, so it's no big deal." Shizuru lit a cigarette and smirked up at the hooded girl. "I've been able to keep us out of the danger zone so far."

"Yeah, go help your man!" Atsuko grinned, holding up her bottle.

"He's not my—"

"Go, Sayomi." Keiko stared down at the ring, hugging Puu close to her chest. The small beast looked up at her in worry. "They look like they're in really bad shape."

Sayomi stared at Keiko, hesitating to leave. _Damn it… If I don't go down there, somebody else is sure to be in worse shape. He better not blame me for this._

Sayomi covered herself in shadows and melded with the stadium floor. She stepped out from the second row of spectators, startling the demons around her, and vaulted over the barricade to run to her team.

"Due to the condition of the stadium from the previous match…" The voice from the Tournament Committee blared through the remaining speakers. "There will be a temporary intermission until we can replace the ring. Thank you for your patience."

"Well, I guess we should get you patched up, Kurama." Yusuke looked over at the red-head with concern.

"Yusuke!" Sayomi called out to the boy as she ran up to him.

"Sayomi!" Yusuke looked at her with a grin. "You have perfect timing."

She stopped when she noticed Kurama in his blood-soaked clothes. "Oh no… Kurama…"

"I'm alright." He smiled at her and winced when he tried to move forward. "It looks worse than it feels."

Sayomi immediately began to heal one of his legs first so he could stand. "Damn it! I'm sorry, guys. I shouldn't have bailed on you like that. I just…"

"Hey, it's alright." Yusuke ruffled her hair with a smirk. "You're still learning and this is the big leagues. We don't blame you for looking out for yourself. Are the girls okay?"

"Yeah…" Sayomi smiled as she switched to Kurama's other leg. "They all basically forced me to come down here."

"Though it is dangerous, I appreciate you coming down to help." Kurama smiled at her warmly and said, "Although, I'm almost reluctant to say that Hiei seems just fine. He mentioned he will be resting for a few hours or so to recover his stamina."

"I see." Sayomi let out a small sigh of relief. "That's better than what happened last time, at least."

She glanced over at the sleeping swordsman. _He doesn't look so angry when he's asleep. He actually looks pretty serene._ She smiled and closed her eyes, bringing her attention back to the task at hand. "How do you feel, Kurama? Did Suzuki give you something to help you transform?"

"Yes." Kurama smiled but his eyes seemed distant. "He gave me a certain juice to induce the transformation for 15 minutes. However, it seems my tests have affected the results with each use."

"How so?" Sayomi tried to keep up the conversation as she moved on to healing one of his arms.

"Well, in the beginning, I could hold my old form for about 15 minutes. During the fight, the time wore out sooner than expected. Yet, it seems as though my old aura still resided within me to some extent. It saved my life in the end."

Sayomi moved on to the last wound on his shoulder. "Well, I'm glad you didn't bleed out, at least. I don't think I could handle it if…" She couldn't bring herself to say more.

Kurama clapped a hand on her shoulder and said, "I understand. You're here now and that's all that matters."

"On a side note…"

Sayomi froze at the sound of the voice behind her. She slowly turned around to see Koenma standing behind her.

He stared down at her and spoke around the pacifier in his mouth. "Need I ask why I needed to step in if you were just going to come back anyway?"

Sayomi couldn't speak. She lowered her eyes to the floor, despite the hood hiding her from direct view.

Koenma sighed and said, "I'm not mad or anything, but I would like some answers. I figure now is as good a time as any to get them."

Sayomi bit her lip and nodded once.

"So, Sayomi," Koenma started calmly. "May I ask how you became involved with Yusuke and the others?"

Sayomi looked up at Koenma to see him staring down at her. He didn't look angry, so she tried to compose herself enough to answer. "I… met him at Genkai's successor trials."

"And why did you approach him?" Koenma kept his tone soft. He could tell he had an effect on her and it made him feel uncomfortable.

She tried to think of what to tell him when Yusuke butted into the conversation. "Apparently she was looking for me. She wouldn't tell me why, but she hasn't done anything to make me think she's evil."

"Yusuke, you don't know what you're risking." The Underworld prince turned to his detective and said, "I ran a background check when Botan first notified me about her. Sayomi is related to a wanted criminal."

Sayomi stiffened at the mention of her brother. _Oh man, I knew this would happen. Just please don't arrest me or anything…_

"In case you forget, Koenma," Kurama said from behind Sayomi. "Both Hiei and I are criminals ourselves. In fact, she didn't trust us until a little later. She in turn hasn't done anything malicious to Yusuke or anyone else."

"Yeah, pacifier breath." Yusuke waved off the young ruler's warning. "Her relative may be a criminal, but that doesn't mean she's one. She's actually been patching us all up after every mission until now."

Sayomi looked up at Kurama and Yusuke in wonder. _Even though Yasuhiro is… They still trust me?_

Koenma sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. "I understand she's been helping you all, but I can't ignore the fact that her brother is still roaming free." He turned to her and said, "I need to know if there's anything you can tell me about him. Did he send you to approach Yusuke?"

"No, sir…" Sayomi took in a deep breath to calm her nerves. "In fact, until recently… I thought he was dead."

Koenma's eyes narrowed slightly and asked, "What do you mean 'until recently'?"

Sayomi took her time taking slow breaths before answering. "He's contacted me a couple times now… during my meditations…"

"And you never bothered to tell anyone about this?" Koenma's tone shifted from soothing to serious.

"Hiei knew…" She glanced at the fire demon who slept soundly on the floor. "I didn't want… I didn't know until…"

She felt a weight on her head and looked up to see Yusuke. He smiled down at her before turning to glare at Koenma. "There. You happy now? She's just as in the dark as the rest of us."

Koenma ignored Yusuke's tone and asked, "What did he tell you in your meditation, Sayomi?"

"He told me that…" She tried to think back to her first encounter with him. It had been so sudden she didn't know what to think. Then his words started coming back to her. "He told me he was a suspected criminal, but I thought that he was just framed."

"He _is_ a criminal. And a dangerous one." Koenma sighed and softened his tone. "I've been keeping an eye on you and I don't believe you're bad. I'm concerned because we suspected he would try to contact you sooner or later. It seems he covered his bases pretty well. Was there anything else he told you?"

"He told me he wanted me to go back with him after the tournament was over…" Sayomi couldn't bring herself to look at Koenma directly, but she tried to make it appear as if she was from under her hood. "…But I don't want to leave. Please don't take me away."

"Take you away? That wasn't my intention, Sayomi." Koenma ran a hand through his hair and said, "I don't believe you're bad, but you understand my concern. You said you told Hiei about this already. Why didn't you tell Yusuke or the others?"

Sayomi bit her lip as she tried to put her thoughts together. "I guess I was just… scared about what would happen. Hiei only knows because he observes my meditations to make sure I'm in control. He saw him and asked me about it, but I thought he was dead this whole time so it was a surprise for me, too."

"I see…" Koenma sighed and turned to Yusuke. "I'm okay with letting her stay with you. I'd rather keep her in sight in case he tries to make a physical appearance."

"I am curious, though." Kurama said, getting everyone's attention. "What did he do to warrant his arrest?"

"I think I have an idea…" Sayomi removed one of her gloves and pushed up her sleeve. She kept her eyes on her markings and said, "I think he became corrupted with his power and it sort of took over. This is also why I backed out of the fight. I don't want to lose control like that, but if I'm weak I know something bad might happen."

"Shadow demons are notorious for becoming overwhelmed by their own power." Koenma stared down at Sayomi's arm and said, "If they lose control, they become violent and mad. We sent hunters after her brother but they all ended up a gibbering mess."

Sayomi remembered the night of her escape. She trembled at the memory and said, "I don't want to be like that. It scared me and when he told me to run, I couldn't stop… but he wasn't always like that. He was trying to protect me because I couldn't protect myself back then. That's why I wanted to learn to fight, so I could protect myself."

"Regardless of reasons, I think it would be best if you didn't fight anymore. If you're already at this stage, I'm afraid things won't go so well if you keep it up. You seem okay now, but I'm sure you've begun to notice some changes. I highly recommend you stick with healing from now on if you don't want to end up like your brother." Koenma turned to Yusuke and asked, "Does that seem fair to you?"

Yusuke stared down at Sayomi's arm curiously and asked, "So what if she's attacked and no one else is around? Do you expect her to not defend herself? She's been doing pretty well as far as I can tell. And Hiei had his own markings just earlier. Shouldn't we take advantage of it?"

Koenma gave Yusuke a stern glare and said, "This isn't the same thing, Yusuke. Hiei's power is dangerous, but shadow demons are a rare breed for good reason. After they go mad, they disappear. They don't die in the normal sense of the word. Their souls don't always make it to the afterlife. They just cease to exist altogether."

"They fade into the Void."

Kurama looked down at Sayomi and asked, "Can you elaborate? I can't say I'm very familiar with it myself."

"The Void is basically a separate plane of existence. It's what I use when I meld in with shadows. I harness it with my aura and use it either to attack or to heal. It's also where I go when I meditate." She clenched her fist and said, "These markings didn't start until after I came here. I was never allowed to fight before."

"For good reason, I'm sure," Koenma commented. "I'm sorry, Sayomi but I think that would be the best course of action."

Sayomi sighed and let her sleeve cover her arm. She put her glove back on and said, "Yeah, I guess you're right. Now I better check up on Hiei to make sure he didn't strain himself too much."

Koenma was about to protest until Kurama said, "Yes, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to have a more thorough observation from a trained eye."

Sayomi nodded and made her way to the unconscious demon. She kneeled down next to him and raised her hands to hover over his chest. She let her aura flow over him as she checked beneath the surface for any internal damage. _Well this sucks… Now I can't train anymore. Could today get any worse?_

"You okay, Sayomi?"

She looked up to see Kuwabara sitting a few feet away with his arm over a propped knee. He looked at her curiously without judgement. "Yeah, just a little bummed, I guess."

"About what?" He asked and looked over at the others as they conversed. "Was it somethin' they said?"

"Kind of…" When she found no damage, she let out a sigh of relief. "They just said I'm not allowed to fight anymore, but I can still heal you guys."

"Oh, I thought it was somethin' more serious." Kuwabara leaned back against a large piece of the ring and said, "I never thought girls were supposed to fight, so it's kind of a relief to me."

"It's not for the reasons you're thinking though. They think I could become dangerous." She pulled up her sleeves and explained the dilemma to Kuwabara. He listened without interrupting until she was done. "I'm just kind of annoyed I guess because I thought I was doing so well until now."

"Well, I'll admit…" Kuwabara smiled. "You did kinda freak me out at that beast castle the first time. But why do you want to fight so bad? You seem really good at healing people so why not focus on that?"

"Because healing people doesn't protect me from danger. It only helps _after_ the damage is done. Besides…" She probed Hiei's right arm for any signs of pain. She smiled when he didn't feel as hot as he did the first time he used the dragon. "I think it's fun. I enjoy it and I want to get better for my own sake. I know the risks, but if I can stay in control, then maybe I won't have to worry about others getting hurt because of me."

"Hmmm…" Kuwabara mulled over her words and said, "I don't see anything wrong with doing what you enjoy, but if what you enjoy is dangerous, should you really be doing it?"

Sayomi looked at the human curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Well…" Kuwabara scratched the back of his head and said, "I don't mean to be that guy, but what if you're better off not fighting? What's wrong with letting someone else protect you?"

Sayomi sighed and said, "I guess you wouldn't understand after all. I just don't want to put someone else at risk for my own sake."

"But if fighting is dangerous for you, doesn't that still put others at risk from yourself?" Kuwabara muttered as if thinking out loud. "Relying on others doesn't have to be a bad thing."

Sayomi opened her mouth, then closed it. _When he puts it like that…_

"All I'm sayin' is be careful. You're still part of the team and we care about you. We don't want to see you get hurt if we can help it. I know you can defend yourself pretty good, but you don't have as much experience as the rest of us." Kuwabara shrugged his shoulders. "Not sayin' you have to stop fightin' because I know how hard that can be, but just know your limits."

Sayomi stared at Kuwabara and smiled to herself. "Thanks, Kuwabara. I'll keep that in mind." She looked back down at Hiei's sleeping face and felt herself relax. _Maybe he has a point… If anything, I can trust_ them _, right? Even Hiei seems to have my back when I need him._

Kuwabara watched as Sayomi stared down at Hiei. He grinned and said, "So are you and the runt an item now or what?"

"Excuse me?" Sayomi looked up at him with a raised eyebrow, even though he couldn't see it.

"Well, you guys just always seem to be together and you get along better than before. I just figured there was somethin' there." He stared at her as if it was a normal topic to discuss.

Sayomi felt her face heat up at the thought and she growled. "Why is everyone saying that? Can't I just train with someone without it having to be like that?"

"Well…" Kuwabara scratched his nose and looked up at the exposed sky. "I just noticed he seems calmer around you and he tends to show off a little more when you're around. And you always seem to worry about him. It wouldn't surprise me if his earlier stunt scared you more than it scared us."

Sayomi tried to speak but nothing would come out. She stared down at Hiei and couldn't feel anything but relief. "But I was worried about Kurama too. Not to mention I'm always worrying about you and Yusuke."

"Yeah, but with him it's different." Kuwabara smiled down at her and said, "I catch you two stealing glances at each other and you both tend to act kinda similar in some ways. It's not a _bad_ thing."

"I just never…" Sayomi bit her lip and said, "I just never really thought of anyone like that before. What if you're wrong?"

"I could be wrong," Kuwabara agreed and got to his feet. "But I have a gut feeling and usually those are right. I'm not saying you have to confess it to him right away, but I'm just letting you know what I see." He made his way back to the rest of the group, leaving Sayomi alone with the swordsman.

Sayomi watched him walk away, then turned her attention to Hiei. _I didn't think any of that meant anything. Hiei didn't exactly do or say anything to give off that kind of impression._ Her eyes traveled from his face to his hair. _I wonder…_

She reached out and ran her fingers through his wild hair. _It's actually softer than it looks…_ She froze when he let out a soft sigh and turned his head towards her in his sleep. She let out a slow breath of relief when he didn't wake up. _What do I do? I can't tell him how I feel if I don't even know what I'm feeling. It's not like that between us, right? We just train together…_

Her meditation came to mind and she felt her face heat up more. _That'll never happen… I should just banish the idea altogether. Besides, I'm sure he wouldn't want someone as weak as me..._

She couldn't explain the pain that grew in her chest, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from his face as he slept.


	32. Chapter 32

Sayomi sat next to Kurama as he read his book. Hiei's head rested in her lap as she petted his hair, keeping it out of his face. She stared down at him as she thought about how to go about telling him the news.

 _He's going to be so angry. I ended up wasting his time and I came back instead of staying to protect Yukina. But can he really blame me when Kurama was in such terrible shape, though?_ Her hand froze mid-pet as Hiei began to stir.

She pulled her hand back as he opened his eyes and smirked down at him from under her hood. "I thought I told you not to pull anymore fake deaths, you crazy bastard."

"Sayomi…?" He blinked a couple more times before slowly sitting up. He propped an elbow up with his knee and looked around at the stadium.

"Ah! You're awake." Kurama smiled at the waking demon.

"So… How long was I out?!" Hiei asked, turning to the red-head.

"About six hours," Kurama answered.

"And the tournament? How's it going?" Hiei leaned back on his hands.

"After your win, they called a halt." Kurama turned back to his book to continue reading.

"Huh? Why?" Hiei asked in confusion.

"To clear up the _mess_ you made of the place." Kurama brought the swordsman's attention to the state of the stadium. The ring was in pieces. The roof was half gone and a whole section of stands and wall had been cleared away. A large opening led to the surrounding forest.

Hiei turned to Sayomi and asked, "So why are _you_ here if the tournament is still going on?"

Sayomi sighed and said, "Look, before you get mad, _she_ told me to come down here _herself._ And while you were out…" She glared down at her clenched fists that rested in her lap and took a deep breath. "I was told not to fight anymore. I'm only allowed to heal."

"Why? Who told you to stop?" Hiei glared around at the group, gauging the most likely culprit.

"Does it really matter at this point?" Sayomi shut her eyes and took a few more deep breaths. "I was never cut out to be a fighter in the first place and you know it. You even said so yourself at the very start."

Hiei narrowed his eyes and was about to respond when Juri spoke into her mic. "Sorry for the _wait,_ folks! But now we're _ready to go! Let's have the third match!_ "

The crowd erupted into loud cheers and shouts.

" _All riiight!_ "

" _Nuthin'll_ stop the Toguros now!"

"We're under way again after a _six-hour_ break!" Koto announced from her booth. "Which hasn't dampened the enthusiasm of _this_ crowd!"

" _I'm up next!_ " Kuwabara declared as he made his way into the ring.

"Then come up and _die,_ human!"

" _Die!_ "

" _Die!_ "

"Still favoring the Toguros?" Hiei glared up at the stands in disbelief. "Even after I defeated Bui and _knocked 'em around_ like that?"

Kurama put away his book and turned to Hiei. "While you were asleep, Toguro _impressed_ them with a little stunt."

Sayomi remembered how the demon in question walked back to the old stadium. Just a few hours later, the ground shook as he returned with the old ring on his back. Sayomi trembled at the memory.

"He _hauled over the ring_ from the _old arena?!_ " Hiei asked in disbelief.

"To salute _your_ spectacular effort, he said." Kurama kept his eyes on the Toguro brothers standing across the field.

As Kuwabara made his way to the ring, Koenma said, "You okay? Bowels acting up, perhaps?"

" _I'm fine, thanks!_ " Kuwabara replied angrily. He turned away from the Underworld prince and muttered, "What use are _you_ , anyway? If Genkai were here, I could've tackled the middle-aged dude."

Hiei's eyes widened as he overheard the teen. "He _still_ doesn't know she's dead?"

"That's what it looks like…" Kurama confirmed.

Sayomi bit her lip in shame as she turned away from the ignorant human. _I couldn't bring myself to tell him… I thought he would notice it…_

Hiei stood up and turned to their team leader. "Yusuke… _why_ haven't you told him?" When Yusuke didn't reply, Hiei clenched his fist and mumbled, "Should've told him myself."

 _Hiei…_ Sayomi glanced at the swordsman curiously.

" _Die!_ "

" _Die!_ "

The elder Toguro brother jumped down from his brother's shoulder and walked forward. Kuwabara stepped into the ring, ignoring the hateful chanting from the demon fans. He held up the hilt of a sword and glared at his opponent.

" _Begin!_ " Juri announced with a wave of her arm.

" _Grr!_ " Kuwabara focused his aura on the hilt. He gritted his teeth as the tool charged and began to emit a brilliant light.

" _Huh?!_ " The crowd was curious about the new attack from the human.

Yusuke, Hiei, and Sayomi watched with wide eyes, unaware of Suzuki's gift. The elder Toguro stared at the weapon with feigned interest. "My, my…"

Kuwabara stood in the ring, holding a blinding sword of aura. The energy stemmed from the hilt as a blade and expanded until it covered the young fighter in electric energy.

"His recuperative powers have been boosted." Kurama observed from the sidelines. "The sword's aura is also enhanced. It's both a weapon and a shield."

"That's pretty cool," Sayomi commented quietly. _Maybe he can win this one…_

" _Have at you!_ " Kuwabara dashed forward, his sword ready to swing. The elder Toguro simply stood his ground with his hands in his pockets and a bored expression.

Sayomi flinched when she heard the tiles break. She looked up to see cracks at Toguro's feet. _Cracks? But, Kuwabara hasn't attacked him yet._

" _Raah!_ " Kuwabara swung his sword down.

The crowd gasped as they watched. "Why's he just _standing_ there?!"

The sword cut straight through from Toguro's ear down through his torso. Sayomi gasped at the sight of blood and torn muscles and tendons. The flesh slumped down lifelessly as Kuwabara stepped back.

"Eh?" Kuwabara watched his opponent in doubt as sweat dripped down his face. The Toguro brother stared blankly at nothing as he stood in place. "Is… is that it? D-did I… Did I actually _win?_ Th…"

Kuwabara was cut off as he was pierced from behind in his arms and torso. He dropped his weapon, his aura receding, and coughed up blood.

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke shouted angrily.

Sayomi could only stare with wide eyes as Kuwabara fell forward to the floor with a heavy thud. The tendrils that stabbed through him retreated across the ring. A hand emerged, followed by the rest of the elder Toguro. Sayomi looked back and forth between the two identical figures in the ring. "But… how?!"

"Heh heh heh…" His fingers retracted back to normal on his hand as he emerged from under the ring floor. "Such naiveté… It's quite entertaining, really."

"Holy… spit!" Kuwabara grunted as he struggled to look behind him. " _Two_ of him!"

The tiles broke as the Toguro brother lifted his arm, raising his doppelganger from the other end. His puppet unraveled into the fingers of his other hand to reveal a small scratch. "You attacked an extruded mannequin. It feels pain, but _you_ feel it _worse._ "

Toguro's face extended out and twisted about as he spoke. "My organs are all rather free-floating. I drilled through the stone with my feet… That's how I got over here." He stretched out his fingers and picked up Kuwabara's weapon to examine it. "A handy, well-made device. A memento from Genkai? Funny…" He smirked down at Kuwabara. "Such a gift, wasted on such a nitwit. How can she hope to rest in peace?"

Sayomi paled when she saw the emotions cross Kuwabara's face. She tried to keep her breathing even as she saw the disbelief flash in his eyes. _Oh no… Not like this…_

" _What?_ " Kuwabara struggled to get up as he glared at the elder Toguro. "Did you just _say –?_ "

"This _surprises_ you? You mean… you didn't _know?_ " Elder Toguro smirked down at Kuwabara as he said, "Genkai is _dead_. Killed in a fight."

Kuwabara gritted his teeth and his eyes widened at the news. His body shook as he slowly got to his feet. "What…?" He clenched his fist angrily, popping his knuckles from the strain.

Toguro attacked the boy from the front, piercing his legs and hips with his fingers. Kuwabara fell to his knees, catching himself with a hand for support. "Unh!"

"Heh heh heh heh… Heh heh heh…" The Toguro brother chuckled quietly before he laughed out loud in amusement. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Your 'friends' didn't bother to inform you?" He raised his hand and let it twist and morph into a humanoid shape. "I'll tell you the tale with a little puppet show."

Kuwabara gasped when the lump of flesh transformed into the young Genkai.

"Once, long ago," Toguro began. "Two dear friends, a young man and woman, together sought to master the martial arts. But time passed…" The puppet morphed, aging the young Genkai until it resembled the old Reiki master. "The woman aged, lost her looks…"

"Brother!" The younger Toguro warned from the sidelines.

"This won't take long," Toguro assured his younger brother. "The man, though, called on the powers of the Demon Plane to preserve his youth. Consumed by _jealousy,_ the woman challenged him to a duel. Sadly, she was off her game… but he wasn't. And so my brother finished it… like this…" He sharpened his fingers and stabbed them through his puppet version of Genkai. Kuwabara grunted and his eyes opened wide at the sight. "And she went to Heaven."

The puppet Genkai bled from the mouth as the Toguro brother smiled down at his opponent. "And he lived happily ever after." He threw back his head and cackled in delight. " _Ha ha ha ha ha!_ "

"That bastard…" Sayomi growled, clenching her fists as her aura began to shift around them.

"I hate it when he does that," Younger Toguro muttered to himself with a sigh.

"Mm?" Toguro stopped laughing when Kuwabara made it back to his feet.

His body staggered as he bled freely from the small wounds. His fists clenched firmly as he composed himself enough to say, "That's enough of that crap, pal."

Toguro smirked and held up the sword hilt. "Still acting tough, huh? But I have your sword. Your aura alone won't amount to much."

"Shut up…" Kuwabara straightened himself, despite his injuries.

" _You_ shut up… and die." Toguro extended his fingers, aiming for Kuwabara's chest. He faltered when his fingers stopped on impact, unable to deal lethal damage. "This… This doesn't make _sense!_ They _can't_ pierce your skin!"

Kuwabara slowly raised his head to glare at the demon. Then he yelled, " _I said shut up! And die!_ "

Kuwabara thrusted his fist forward, emitting a blinding aura. Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and Sayomi watched with gaping mouths. Kuwabara glared coldly as Toguro fell to the ring in bloody pieces.

"Guuh…!" Toguro stared up at the human boy in shock. He was wielding his aura sword as smaller orbs of energy shot out from it. "Your sword is giving off an aura like _shuriken._ You're more _ingenious_ than I expected."

Kuwabara fell to one knee with his hand keeping him up. He quivered and began to sweat from exhaustion. " _Huff huff…!_ "

"Heh heh… but you're _badly hurt…_ " Toguro smiled sadistically. "…Too hurt to come up with any new aura tricks. I, on the other hand, don't have that problem." Toguro's flesh began to reach out to itself and pull together. Before long, he stood up in one piece, ignoring his tattered clothing.

"Wow! Lookit that!"

"His chopped-up bits grew back together!"

Toguro allowed his organs and body parts to shift around his head. His fingers reached out from his scalp while one of his eyes dropped down to the mouth and reach forward. He spoke from his mouth that moved off to the side of his head. "You might take Kurama's trick and go for my heart, but can you tell where any of my vital organs really are?"

"Blast…" Kuwabara clenched his teeth as he staggered to his feet.

"Back on your feet? Sorry…" Toguro reorganized his body and reached for the boy. "…But I like you much better flat on the ground." Toguro extended his fingers and looped them around to stab Kuwabara from behind.

" _Yaah!_ " Kuwabara yelled out as his body was forced back down to the floor.

" _Kuwabara!_ " Yusuke yelled out in fear.

" _He's down!_ " Juri announced instantly. " _1!_ "

"I'm more comfortable with you this way," Toguro said with a smirk. "If you want to try for a T.K.O, don't. I'd just slit your throat."

Kuwabara glared up at his opponent with defiance. " _Enjoy_ this moment. It's your _last._ "

" _4!_ "

"Don't make me laugh." Toguro raised his free hand and shaped it into a large blade. "You're a frog about to be _dissected. Die!_ "

Kuwabara grunted as he concentrated his aura into his hand. He pushed the energy down into the ring, connecting it to the dropped sword hilt across the floor. The hilt levitated and the aura blade solidified from the tool.

Toguro turned to look behind him and his eyes widened. "He's pulling _my_ trick! And he's _telekinetic?!_ "

" _You're_ the frog, pal! Slice an' dice!" Kuwabara used the sword to cut Toguro into pieces again from behind. As the Toguro brother fell, Kuwabara got to his feet.

" _8! Turnabout!_ The Elder Toguro is down!" Juri restarted her count.

Kuwabara wobbled as he made his way to Toguro. The demon smirked as his body began to regenerate again. " _Got me_ fair and square! But you still _haven't_ delivered anything like a _lethal blow!_ Heh heh…! I'll just _reassemble_ again… and again… and again!"

Toguro stared up in confusion as Kuwabara's sword changed into a large paddle. Kuwabara stared up at his weapon and said, "This thing's really something. It took the most effective shape, both times." Toguro began to sweat in fear. Kuwabara glanced down at him with cold indifference. "Since I don't know your weak spots… I'll just _squash you whole!_ "

Kuwabara glared as he swung his weapon down on the elder Toguro brother. The crowd watched in dumbfounded silence. Juri's eyes widened at the boy's aggression.

"Um… I'll just confirm…" Juri stepped forward as Kuwabara relinquished his aura. Her face paled when she saw what was left. "Ew!" She raised her arm and made her announcement. " _The winner: Kuwabara!_ "

"I can't _believe_ it."

"Team Toguro is _down 2-1._ "

"He did it…" Sayomi smiled in relief. "He could use some healing, but at least he's not dead."

"Hn. Those aren't the wounds that matter," Hiei said with his arms crossed.

Sayomi raised an eyebrow in confusion.

" _Nice work, Kuwabara!_ " Yusuke walked up to his teammate excitedly. " _Hey, you okay?!_ "

Kuwabara glared at Yusuke. Then he landed a straight jab to Yusuke's cheek.

Yusuke stared ahead in shock, trying to register the action. Kurama gasped while Hiei and Koenma just stared. Sayomi was about to step in until Hiei rested his hand on her shoulder, holding her back. Despite the gesture, she couldn't tear her eyes from the two boys.

Yusuke wiped his hand across his bruising cheek as Kuwabara confronted him. "Why didn't you _tell me_ she was _dead?_ Didja think I couldn't _handle_ it? That I'd panic, lose my nerve, and take off or something?"

Sayomi flinched as Kuwabara's words struck her. She turned away and stared down at the ground.

Kuwabara grabbed Yusuke by the shirt and growled, " _Well?!_ "

"Kuwabara…" Kurama approached the teen carefully.

" _I didn't ask you!_ " Kuwabara yelled, keeping his focus on Yusuke.

"He didn't tell _us_ , either." Kurama stayed calm as he explained. "We just figured it out on our own."

Kuwabara let go of Yusuke, waiting for him to respond. The detective stared down at the floor, unable to look his friend in the eye.

"Genkai… She died in my arms." Kuwabara listened quietly as Yusuke recalled the incident. "I asked Koenma to… take care of her, then come back and help out." He clenched his fist as he continued. "I relied on her, y'know? I know that's no longer possible… but still… I can't believe she's gone. The reality is… unreal. I think, and feel, that she'll still manage to show up… unless I _admit_ , openly, that she's dead. Then even that vague hope vanishes. That's why I… said nothing. Sorry."

Sayomi felt tears build up in her eyes. Since no one could see under her hood, she let them spill. _Oh, Yusuke… I'm sorry I couldn't save her… I'm such a weak coward…_

"Hmph!" Kuwabara grunted as he turned and walked away. "Why didn't you just _say so,_ then?"

Kurama's smile strained as he said, "Weren't you listening? That's just what he _couldn't_ do."

" _Urameshi!_ " Yusuke turned to look at Kuwabara. " _Beat_ him."

Yusuke smirked and made his way towards the ring. He adjusted one of his wristbands and said, "That's my plan."

" _Finally!_ " The crowd began to quiet down as the big fight was about to begin.

"Wow…" Koto said in wonder. "The crowd's gone _deathly quiet!_ I think… it's the calm before the storm!"

"Toguro." Sakyo made his way to the ring. "Let me go out first."

The crowd began to mutter amongst themselves in confusion.

"What's Sakyo _doing?!_ "

" _He_ figuring to fight Urameshi?"

Yusuke blinked as he watched the billionaire walk up to Juri. He held out a hand and asked, "May I borrow that?"

"Uh… sure." Juri handed the man her mic.

Sakyo held up the mic and said, "I'd like to place a _wager_ on this match. I'm confident Toguro will win. So confident, in fact… _I'll stake my life on it._ "

Everyone looked at Sakyo in confusion or shock. Hiei crossed his arms and said, "So, he's just declared _this_ the de facto championship match."

"Can he do that?" Sayomi asked curiously.

"He said it wouldn't come down to him," Hiei reminded her.

"And to show how much this match is worth overall…" Sakyo continued. "…The winner will be credited with _two wins._ I may be Team Captain, but I know I don't have what it takes to satisfy this crowd. Toguro, on the other hand, is _guaranteed_ to thrill you. I'm pleased to put my life in his hands. Of course, that's _if_ HQ and the other team's captain agree to this."

Koenma gauged Sakyo carefully and said, "All right, then! I'll stake _my_ _life_ on Yusuke Urameshi to win."

"Koenma…" Yusuke turned to the young prince.

"I kinda got you into this mess, so I should assume _some_ risk. But…" Koenma watched Sakyo carefully as he spoke to Yusuke. "Sakyo's no idle boaster. He's wagered his life many times before… You can see it in his eyes. The ambitions of such a man can too readily lead to chaos and mass destruction. You must prevent that. You're the only one who can."

Yusuke stared at his boss, unable to respond. Meanwhile, the crowd became restless.

"The teams have struck a deal!"

"What'll HQ say?! Will they _allow_ it?!"

The speakers in the stadium screeched as the voice began to speak. " _Attention! The committee must confer! There will be a 10 minute break!_ "

"Okay by me! I gotta take a leak!"

"Let the teams have their way!"

"The suspense! _I can't stand it!_ "

"Approve it, already!"

"So after six hours of waiting, they want to tack on another 10 minutes?" Sayomi shook her head and turned to Kuwabara. "So how are you feeling? I'm not Yukina, but you look like you could use some help."

Kuwabara smiled down at her and said, "Yeah, I guess you're right about that."

She smiled and began to patch up the small holes scattered all over his body. "At least this way, your aura can recover without having to fix you up physically."

"Heh heh…" Kuwabara looked over Sayomi's head and noticed Hiei glaring at them. He glared back and said, "You got a problem, shrimp?"

Sayomi turned to see Hiei watching them. After a moment of staring, she turned back to healing Kuwabara. "I don't think he's glaring at _you_ , Kuwabara."

"Why would he be mad at you, though? I thought you guys were cool now." Kuwabara looked down at Sayomi, trying to block out Hiei's stern gaze.

"Who knows?" Sayomi shrugged as she finished healing the teen. "Just don't start anything, okay?"

"I won't if he won't," Kuwabara said cautiously.

Sayomi sighed as she made her way to the fire demon. "Is there something wrong, Hiei?"

"Why do you assume something is wrong?" Hiei countered dryly.

"Well, you just seem tense." Sayomi looked down in shame. "If it has to do with me not fighting anymore, can we discuss it later?"

"And if there isn't a later?" Hiei turned his attention to Yusuke and the Younger Toguro brother as they stared each other down.

"You wouldn't let Yusuke have the final match if you didn't think he could handle it." Sayomi couldn't bring herself to look at him. She could feel his body heat from where she stood and she could tell he was upset.

"I've been wrong before." Hiei kept his eyes on the ring, but Sayomi knew that wasn't what he was talking about.

Before she could say anything, the speakers blared with the voice from the committee. " _We have a decision! The proposed terms of the match are approved! The winner of this match will be awarded two victories, and his team declared the Tournament Champions!_ "

" _Fighters forward!_ " Juri announced enthusiastically.

As Yusuke and Toguro were making their way to the ring, a muffled laugh began to emit from a hole in the ring behind Juri.

"Heh heh… heh heh heh…" Then, scaring Juri nearly to death, the Elder Toguro popped out of the hole. He was half naked and he cackled maniacally. " _Bwa ha ha ha ha! Hee haw hoo!_ " His face was covered in blood as he glared and reached out for Yusuke. "My brother is _unbeatable,_ Urameshi! _Your fate is sealed!_ He defeated Genkai! Yes, _even her!_ "

Yusuke glared at the demon in the ground with calm anger.

" _Gack!_ " Kuwabara reeled when he saw the Toguro brother. "The shrimp-boat! Thought I'd _clobbered_ him!"

Toguro watched silently as his older brother continued. "Genkai _rejuvenated_ for the last moments of their battle! But it did her _no good!_ It wasn't _enough!_ _And you're not nearly as strong as she was!_ Genkai was hot when she was young, a _real babe._ I often wanted to _take her for myself._ But I didn't. Want to know _why?_ Hee hee… Because she was _more_ than I could handle." His eyes dilated as madness consumed him. "But she eventually grew wretched and decrepit, and I no longer _cared!_ She's gone, and you'll soon _join_ her!"

" _Lemme at 'im! I'll pound 'im to mush!_ " Kuwabara growled angrily.

"Save it, Kuwabara," Kurama advised his comrade. "The scum's overstepped his bounds as those two up there will soon make clear."

Yusuke's glare grew more dangerous as the little monster spoke. The younger Toguro sighed as his brother reached out for him. "Come, brother! I'll be your _weapon!_ What would you like? A _sword?_ A _spear?!_ Just name it! With _you_ _wielding me,_ we'll be _invincible!_ "

"Go away," Toguro said as he stared down at his brother.

"Huh?" The older brother was stumped.

"This is _my_ fight," Toguro said with finality. Then, he kicked his older brother in the chin, sending him up into the air.

" _Nooo…_ " Elder Toguro glared down at his brother. "I'm your _brother! We sold our souls together!_ " He adjusted himself so he was falling back down towards his younger brother in a mad rage. "Yet you would do this… _to me?!_ "

"So it goes, brother." The younger Toguro raised his fist so his older brother landed on it, face-first. Following through with the punch, Toguro disintegrated his brother into pieces of flesh and bone that landed out in the ocean. "I never sold my _standards._ "

Toguro turned his attention to Yusuke. "No one else will interfere. This is our fight, one-on-one, start to finish."

"Oh yeah," Yusuke agreed with a smirk.


	33. Chapter 33

"This is it, Tournament fans!" Koto announced excitedly from the stands. " _A winner-take-all battle royale!_ Will it be Team Toguro's _ultimate tiumph?!_ Will Team Urameshi _make the grade?!_ "

" _For the Championship: Toguro vs. Urameshi!_ " Juri waved her arm in the ring and said, " _Begin!_ "

Toguro removed his coat and instantly powered up. His muscles grew as he said, "Let's review. Your attack the other day… was it fueled by a fit of rage or…?"

Yusuke silently stared at Toguro.

Toguro grinned as he raised his hands, his bones cracking as he enhanced himself. " _I'll fire up to 80%!_ "

" _Awright! Action at last!_ "

" _Nail 'im, Toguro!_ "

"Huh?" A fan turned to his neighbor for help as his flesh began to melt away.

" _Yow!_ " The other demon jumped back in fear and disgust.

"They're _dissolving!_ Like they got _doused in acid_ or something!"

"It's Toguro's _aura!_ " Hiei said in awe. "The weaker demons can't bear up under it."

"Not doing so well with it myself," Kurama gasped as he reached for his heart. "I was really hoping to stay and watch…"

Sayomi tried using her chain to block the miasma, but she could only protect herself from one direction. She was starting to gasp for air when Koenma stepped in front of the team. He spread his arms and put up an invisible barrier. "Get behind me. I can ward off the worst."

Sayomi began to gulp in air until she realized her mistake. She looked up at the stands, searching and fearing the worst. _Please don't be dead!_

She searched until she saw the girls, cheering as if unaffected by the aura. She saw Yukina turn to the girls, and halt. _Did she realize the danger and – ? Huh? A barrier? From who?_ She squinted as she tried to pinpoint who was behind the shield. _Is it… Pu…?_

In the ring, Toguro finished powering up. His aura emitted from him like smoke from a flame. Yusuke glared at him. His fists clenched. The crowd watched with baited breath for someone to make the first move.

Yusuke dashed forward.

Sayomi and the boys watched with wide eyes, surprised by his speed.

Yusuke threw a right cross. Toguro raised his fist, sending Yusuke's attack upward along with the rest of him.

Sayomi gasped until Yusuke recovered, using his hand to spring towards Toguro. He threw a right jab, but Toguro quickly dodged and appeared behind him. He swung his fist and Yusuke jumped up, kicking off Toguro's face and dodging his attack.

 _Yes!_ Sayomi grinned. _He landed the first hit!_

Toguro's missed punch exuded enough power to send a path of destruction towards the unlucky fans in the audience. As soon as Yusuke landed, Toguro swung his fist in the punk's direction.

Yusuke jumped out of the way, allowing the attack to pass through. Just as he landed, Toguro rushed towards him. Instead of dodging out of the way, Yusuke raised his arms and braced himself to defend.

"What're ya _doin'?!_ " Kuwabara shrieked in protest. "Don't try t' _block,_ ya idiot! _Move!_ "

Sayomi froze when she realized his change in tactics. _Please don't –_

Toguro halted a step before impact, his fist raised and held back at the ready. He smirked and said, "Sorry about that. I almost did something patently unfair."

"Heh…" Yusuke didn't return the smirk. He stared Toguro down and said, "I salute your sportsmanship."

Sayomi let out a shaky breath. Right behind Yusuke, on the second level of the stands, the girls stood together cheering him on. _I should probably go back up there… but how could I even_ hope _to defend against that?_ Her eyes traveled back down to Toguro.

As the crowd watched in silent suspense, Koto recovered and said, "This is really _amazing,_ folks! The battle's barely started, and _already_ we've seen _sparks fly at lightning speed!_ "

"They're feeling each other out… gauging strengths, potential openings…" Hiei observed as his right hand twitched. "I _really_ should've taken this one."

Sayomi shifted her eyes towards the swordsman and back up to Yusuke. "That sounds like you're doubting Yusuke's strength, Hiei. You realize that's also an insult to Master Genkai's training." She smirked as she recalled her early training with the old woman. "As tough as you are, I still think she would've put _you_ through Hell."

Hiei glared at her and said, "Yet you've never beaten me in training."

"I have caught you off guard, though." Sayomi felt satisfied when he fell silent.

"Heh…" As the crowd began to chant Toguro's name, he shifted his stance. He flexed his arms and smirked down at Yusuke. "Hmm… You stand ready, almost eager. Let's see what you've gained from Genkai, then."

Yusuke smirked as he held his trigger finger, keeping it down as he focused his aura.

"We've gone into a _stare-down,_ folks! The tension's _incredible!_ " Koto announced breathlessly. "Urameshi's _charging up_ his right hand! Gonna be some _major fireworks_ soon!"

Toguro tuned out the noise from the spectators as he focused on Yusuke. "Show me what Genkai _granted you_ in her passing."

The dim glow around Yusuke's finger began to get brighter.

" _Here we go!_ " Kuwabara exclaimed.

Yusuke leaped forward, his whole hand covered with aura. The crowd held their breath in suspense. Yusuke shifted his direction to change his angle. As soon as he found an opening, he delivered a series of aura-infused punches to Toguro's chest.

"Weak follow-through." Toguro smirked and swung his arm down at the boy.

Yusuke dodged, letting the shockwave pass him and crash into the stands. As soon as he recovered, Toguro was on top of him with a ready fist. Yusuke glared and clenched his fists. "Whew! He's fast!"

"I'm putting _more_ into the next one." Toguro grinned as he disappeared from Yusuke's line of sight. He came down from above, barely missing Yusuke, and punched directly into the ring.

Everyone in the stadium was stunned to silence as the attack obliterated the ring. A cloud of dust and debris made it difficult to locate the fighters and Juri. Within the chaos, Toguro spotted Yusuke falling upside-down with his trigger finger aimed directly at him. As soon as they locked eyes, Yusuke fired.

" _A direct hit!_ " Koto shouted.

Everyone watched as the blast sent Toguro flying into the stands and through the stadium wall. Yusuke flipped in mid-air and recovered his landing as he watched Toguro crash through the forest beyond.

Koto gasped at the spectacle. "U-Urameshi got Toguro with a _dead-on Reigun Blast!_ It's by far the most _powerful one_ I've ever seen him unleash! Toguro's been knocked _clean_ out of the arena!"

"Is it possible…" The fans wondered aloud. "Toguro's _beaten?_ "

Meanwhile, Juri was in a daze from the massive blasts, unable to make any official calls.

Kuwabara glared at her and yelled, " _Hey ref! Get off yer can! Start the count!_ "

"See where Yusuke's standing?" Hiei asked bluntly.

"Huh?" Kuwabara turned to look. "Oh man…"

Sayomi felt paralyzed as she looked at what was left of the ring. Just a massive crater and small chunks of rock scattered everywhere. Yusuke stood just outside of the crater, watching for any sign of Toguro.

"No platform, no 'out of bounds.'" Hiei crossed his arms as he settled in for a long match. "It's strictly beat or be beaten."

"He's gotten so strong," Sayomi said with admiration. "A big difference from his last match, that's for sure."

"Gotta say, I'm impressed," Hiei admitted. "Toguro was caught flat-footed. If he manages to shake that off, then…"

Sayomi clenched and unclenched her fists and took deep, slow breaths to calm her nerves. _Please don't get back up…_

Yusuke waited, watching out for any sign of his foe. For a few minutes, there was just forest and the vast sky. Yusuke gasped when he noticed a distant figure walking back to the stadium.

Toguro's shades were gone and his jeans had a few large holes. His frown was amplified by the disappointment in his eyes. He brushed the dirt from himself and asked, "That's it, is it? That's the _best_ you can do?"

Yusuke couldn't answered. He could only stare at Toguro as he began to sweat.

Kuwabara, however, couldn't stay as calm. He gaped openly at Toguro and slumped down to the ground. "What is he? Not a _scratch_ on him!"

Toguro advanced on Yusuke, throwing out his aura and cutting through Yusuke's guard. Yusuke held his ground, but he was bleeding from various cuts as he watched Toguro with wide eyes.

"I'd hoped for more… I really did." Toguro clenched his fists. "But even you don't match me at 100%. So I'll stay at 80% and be _done_ with you. Yes, 80% will more than suffice. Prepare to meet your _doom._ "

"Uh-oh… _Not good!_ " Kuwabara became as pale as his outfit. "If Yusuke's _Reigun_ has no effect…"

"That can't be!" Sayomi refused to doubt him and their teacher's efforts. "That had to have done _some_ damage, right?"

Yusuke recovered from the initial shock and stared at Toguro. "Guess I gotta make an adjustment."

Toguro watched curiously as Yusuke reached for one of his wristbands. When he slipped out of it, a bright yellow light buzzed around his wrist.

"Urameshi's removing his wristbands!" Koto narrated for radio-listeners. "And now his bare wrists… are _glowing!_ "

" _Whuh?!_ " The fans watched the events with mouths gaping open.

Yusuke removed his other wristband and the two glowing rings connected between his wrists.

" _Aura locks…_ " Toguro recognized the technique. "An exercise of discipline."

As the crowd hushed into silence, Kuwabara asked, "What're those? _Aura handcuffs?! What's going on?!_ "

"Yusuke's been fighting with a _handicap…_ " Kurama answered in disbelief. "Against _Toguro,_ of all people! Incredible…"

"More like _stupid!_ " Sayomi couldn't take her eyes off the shackles. "What if he was weakened enough to get _killed?!_ Yusuke, you cocky idiot!"

Ignoring his team, Yusuke stood firm and said, "Ante up!"

The cuffs dispersed and Yusuke's aura began to visibly flare out of control around his body.

" _Well I'll be a…_ " Koto trailed off in awe. "Urameshi's just revealed a _whole new aspect_ of himself!"

"His power level's _off the scale!_ " Kuwabara shouted. "Toguro's got a _fight_ on his hands _now!_ "

Sayomi shivered when she saw Toguro smile. He slid his hands into his pockets as he addressed Yusuke. "Were you hoping to beat me with your aura suppressed?"

"Well… yeah." Yusuke smirked. "Bad call, I see."

"It does rather… make us both look like fools." Toguro shifted his footing and raised his hands, one to block and one ready to punch. "Shall we see where we go from here?"

Yusuke dashed.

" _He's fast!_ " Hiei and Kurama said in unison.

"Where'd he _go?!_ " Kuwabara reeled when Yusuke vanished from his sight.

Sayomi only saw his initial spring. Next thing she saw, he was already on Toguro. "I can just _barely_ keep up!"

" _Hyaah!_ " Yusuke pummeled into Toguro, sending him into the air.

"He sent Toguro _flying!_ " A fan yelled in surprise.

"With his _bare hands!_ " Kuwabara yelled, impressed and pumped from the adrenaline.

Yusuke closed in as soon as Toguro's back hit the floor. He landed a strong punch to his stomach, stealing Toguro's breath and causing him to spit up blood. The impact forced Toguro into the ground, forming another crater.

" _Graaah!_ " Yusuke followed through with another salvo of direct punches. Each hit threw Toguro's head in another sharp direction without restraint.

"He's _barraging_ Toguro…" Kurama couldn't look away from the violent attack. "Giving him _no chance to counter!_ "

"He's _got_ 'im!" Kuwabara cheered desperately. " _Keep it up, Urameshi!_ "

" _Kick his ass!_ " Sayomi yelled as loud as she could, clenching her fists as she watched Yusuke get the upper hand.

Suddenly, Yusuke froze. He jumped back out of the crater, keeping his eyes on Toguro.

The audience peered down, surprised by the retreat.

"Why'd he stop…?" Sayomi wondered in worry. "He was winning, right?"

Yusuke waited. He watched the crater with such caution the crowd began to murmur in confusion.

Then Toguro stepped out of the crater. He lost his muscle mass and he was covered all over with red bruises and bleeding from cuts on his face. He reached up to touch his busted lip and smirked. "Heh…"

"Good golly… _Look_ at him!"

"He seems so… so _deflated!_ "

"Is he… _used up_ already? Was that _all_ he had?!"

Kurama observed Toguro cautiously. "It's like peering into a clear sky just before a storm rises."

Toguro adjusted his stance as the veins around his neck and shoulders began to strain under his skin. His eyes focused on Yusuke, keeping eye contact as he said, " _100%!_ "

Everyone fell silent as Toguro's small frame began to overflow with demonic aura. Toguro's eyes glossed over with genuine happiness as he smiled down at Yusuke. "Thank you, Urameshi…"

Yusuke broke into a cold sweat.

Sayomi looked up at the stands, searching for the girls. _Oh no…_

There was a blinding flash of light, followed by a low rumble from the ground. Toguro's aura burst forth from his body, destroying the weaker fans in the stadium. Their flesh melted with their bones and their screams quickly garbled into nothing. Toguro gritted his teeth as he flexed his power, breaking the dam that held his aura in check. " _Grrraah!_ "

Sayomi found the girls in the stands. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding when she saw them still behind the barrier. _Damn. Maybe I should've just stayed with them after all._ Her attention was drawn back to the ring when she heard something spill on the ground. Her eyes widened with disbelief. _What_ is _he…?_

" _Gurf! Gurf! Gurf!_ " Toguro's muscles convulsed as he heaved. They twisted under his taut skin. Once he emptied his stomach, he smirked up dangerously at Yusuke.

" _Attack 'im now, Urameshi!_ " Kuwabara yelled out desperately. "Your _goose is cooked_ once he reaches _100%!_ "

Whether he heard or not, Sayomi couldn't tell. Yusuke just watched as Toguro's aura continued to build. She could feel the tension in the stadium. The crowd was silent. Their enthusiasm drained as fear took root. Even Koto was at a loss for words. Sayomi fought the urge to run as she kept her eyes on her charge. _Yusuke, what are you_ thinking?!

"Oh boy…" Kuwabara mumbled between clenched teeth. He was pale and sweat trickled down his face and neck. "We're in for it now."

When the miasma receded, Toguro stood proud at full power. His muscles were solid as rock and his bones shifted to act more like armor. His shoulders resembled football pads and his collar bone stuck out more. His whole muscle system seemed to weave into itself within his body, making him look like an aged tree.

"Now I know why my sixth sense has been out to lunch," Kuwabara whispered. "The full force of his aura would _fry my brain!_ "

 _I hope you're strong enough, Yusuke._ Sayomi glanced around at her teammates and Koenma, then shifted her eyes to the girls.

" _Toguro's finally notched it up to 100%!_ " Koto snapped out of her shock and launched into her commentary. " _The sheer force of the transformation alone has vaporized a quarter of the spectators!_ "

Yusuke dropped into a fighting stance when Toguro took a step forward. Without taking another step, Toguro raised his fist and flicked his thumb towards Yusuke. The next moment, Yusuke was knocked back off his feet.

" _Urameshi got knocked flying!_ " The fans became hopeful as their hero regained the upper hand.

Toguro waited patiently for Yusuke to get back on his feet. When he stood, Yusuke was bleeding from his forehead between his glaring eyes.

"See what I did?" Toguro adjusted his hand and said, "I'll do it a few more times."

He flicked his thumb again in rapid succession. Yusuke met each bullet of air with his fists. He glared and gritted his teeth as Toguro continued his attack.

" _Wow! Lookit that!_ "

"Urameshi's getting _worn out_ with blocking!" The fans cheered when they saw Yusuke's energy drain.

" _Unh!_ " Yusuke huffed and jumped out of the way with his fist raised. "That's enough!"

Yusuke's punch landed with full force against Toguro's left thumb. His eyes widened, thrown off guard by the simple defense. "What the…"

Toguro wasted no time. He diverted Yusuke's attack and followed through with a right cross, hitting Yusuke's left arm. The sound of cracking bones echoed in the arena.

" _Urameshi!_ " Kuwabara cried out in fear.

" _Yusuke!_ " Sayomi was about to sprint towards him, but she was held back. She didn't bother turning to see who stopped her. She couldn't tear her eyes away from her charge.

" _Aagh!_ " Yusuke screamed as he landed on his back and skidded across the ground. He struggled to kneel, his broken arm hanging limp and bleeding, and began to charge his trigger finger. "Unf… Now it's _my turn!_ "

"Go ahead, fire away," Toguro urged the boy. "I suggest you give it all you've got."

Yusuke glared as he aimed, his Reigun becoming brighter. " _You asked for it!_ "

He fired a large bullet of aura at point blank range. Toguro watched as the blast got closer. At the last second, he took a deep breath and screamed. " _Kyaah!_ "

The soundwaves from his voice alone obliterated Yusuke's best.

Everyone's mouths gaped open with wide eyes. Sayomi couldn't comprehend how such a thing was possible. She collapsed to her knees, staring blankly as Toguro emerged from the smoke unscathed. "This… this isn't… How can he…?"

"His _cry_ blew the Reigun Blast out like a _candle!_ " Koto announced in amazement.

"Judging from my former experience as a human, you're lacking something…" Toguro stared down at Yusuke. His eyes dilated as he watched his opponent. " _A sense of peril._ "

Before Yusuke could blink, Toguro was gone. Next thing he knew, Yusuke was punched in the stomach. The attack stole his breath and sent him flying up to the third level in the stands.

Toguro scowled and tilted his head. "I think you're still not really aware of how much danger you're in."

"Heh…" Sakyo smirked and began to light a cigarette. "I'd say I win this bet."

" _Guh…! Hack!_ " Yusuke fell to his knees and clutched at his stomach as he coughed up blood. The demon fans around him kept their distance as they watched.

Toguro clenched his fists. "You don't grasp why I went to full power." Yusuke regained enough control of his breathing to stare down at Toguro as he spoke. "You've earned the _right_ to fight me at 100%, but that does not mean you have a prayer of _winning._ This is _my_ moment, not yours. Is that clear? You, in turn, have an obligation to fight me with _everything_ you've got. But have you? I've been pondering how we can be sure you've really done your best. Would it take pain, fear of death… sheer rage? I'd be glad to apply them all, if it would help you to excel."

As Toguro walked towards Yusuke, Kuwabara trembled in place and said, "H-he's _crazy!_ A _battle junkie!_ He's running on _pure fighting instinct!_ "

"Instinct?" Toguro paused to glance at Kuwabara. "No, my _will._ Instinct is only about survival. Like this…" The extensions on his shoulders opened at the ends and began to suck in like a vacuum.

" _What?!_ " The fans began to drop dead as their souls were forced from their bodies.

"Everyone Toguro's aura took out…" Koto powered through to keep up her commentary. " _He's sucking them up! H-he's feeding on them!_ "

Yusuke clenched his teeth angrily as he glared down at his enemy. He still couldn't move through the pain.

"This mode does rather give me an appetite." Toguro pointed up at Yusuke as the demon souls continued to flow into his body. "I consume their chi, starting with the weakest. In 20 minutes I'll finish off everyone in this arena. Don't you have _friends_ here cheering for you? Heh heh."

Sayomi glared at Toguro before shooting a worried look towards the girls. Her eyes widened when she saw Yukina trying to stop Atsuko from leaving the barrier. Sayomi was about to go to them when a hand clamped down on her shoulder. She turned and saw Kurama staring at her with stern eyes.

"That wouldn't be the best course of action, I'm afraid." He looked back towards the fight, letting her go. "So long as everyone stays in place, there's a chance we'll survive."

"Yeah, but…" Her eyes wandered to the rest of the demon fans. They were stampeding towards the exits in a panic. People tripped over bodies and were trampled. Screams reached her ears and she trembled. _This is what happens… Too much power and you become a monster. Not enough power and you're prey. Is there no middle ground?_

Soon after the fans tried to make their escape, there was a low rumble and the ground began to shake. Sayomi braced herself and gasped when she noticed the giant cement walls rising up around the stadium. "What the hell?"

"Stick around, folks, the fun's just _starting!_ " Sakyo smirked with a lit cigarette between his teeth. "More fun than you warts deserve, in fact."

Yusuke glared at Sakyo with such intense loathing, Sayomi could only hope the human would burst into flames.

" _Sez you!_ "

" _Get Toguro! Before he gets us!_ "

The fans turned and ran down the bleachers. They leaped over the barricades and charged their former hero. Toguro turned to them and flicked his thumb towards every demon. The small bullets decapitated every demon who got close enough.

"Stay out of it," Toguro said firmly. "This is between me and Urameshi."

Yusuke snapped. He leaped from the third level and charged at Toguro with a raised fist. " _Don't bring me down to your level!_ "

Yusuke punched Toguro directly on the forehead. Though Toguro braced for it, the force pressed him into the floor, breaking up the ground itself.

Toguro glared up at Yusuke and said, "Sheer rage, then. Same as Genkai."

" _Raah!_ " Yusuke's eyes dilated as he became furious and pounded into Toguro.

Toguro caught Yusuke's fist before he could land another punch to his face. He tightened his grip, instantly popping Yusuke's knuckles. He kept squeezing, forcing the bones to crack. "Still not enough, though."

" _Aaagh!_ " Yusuke yelled out in pain.

Toguro cut off his cries with a right hook to the face. He quickly followed through with a series of quick punches into his gut. Yusuke coughed up blood, unable to block or retreat.

"We're all _doomed,_ man!"

"Unless… Unless _Urameshi wins!_ "

" _Take 'im down, Urameshi!_ "

" _Beat 'im! Bash 'im!_ "

Sayomi could just barely hear the crowd's change of sides. Her eyes zeroed in on Yusuke as Toguro dropped him and stomped down on his stomach. Yusuke coughed up more blood, unable to scream.

"Heh heh…" Toguro stared down at Yusuke sadistically. "What's the matter? You just going to lie there while everyone gets eaten?"

"Unh… I don't think…" Koto was on her knees, surrounded by rubble. She struggled to keep herself up as she held her mic. "…I can continue my commentary…" The fans around her continued to scream in agony as their souls tore from their bodies.

Yusuke managed to get his hands under Toguro's foot and slowly push it up in defiance. Toguro stared down at the boy and said, "In this mode, I throw off all restraint. My sole aim is to draw out your power… _any way I can!_ "

Toguro flung his arm off to the side, sending a blast of air into the stadium wall. When the smoke cleared, the girls were standing not five feet from the new crater. He smirked down at Yusuke. "A near miss… that time."

Yusuke's pupils dilated as he yelled, " _You'll pay!_ " He jumped out from under Toguro's foot and quickly closed in. He punched Toguro's face with a strong right cross. While Toguro's head was still facing up, Yusuke charged in again. " _Raah!_ "

Toguro instantly backhanded Yusuke's face, sending him crashing into a wall. Sayomi and her teammates could only stare in shock as their chances of victory seemed to dwindle.

"Not quite…" Toguro glared at Yusuke. "Not quite enough, my friend. You can't prove yourself by rage alone."

" _Guuh…!_ " Yusuke sat against the wall with his arms raised to just above his head. His shirt was a tattered rag and he was covered in dark bruises. "Unh… Arrrh…" He slowly raised his head to glare at Toguro.

" _Uh-oh! That's it!_ "

" _We're goners now!_ "

" _Nobody can beat him! He'll suck us all up!_ "

Sayomi felt helpless as she watched Toguro stalk towards Yusuke. She clenched and unclenched her fists. She tried to keep her breathing in check, but she didn't feel any better. She could feel her aura shift around her as she tried to keep from acting on impulse. _Get up, Yusuke… You_ have _to… Damn it! If Master Genkai was still here,_ she'd _be able to push him past his limits! She's done it before!_

As Sayomi began to recall their early training days with the old woman, she saw movement in her peripheral. She looked up and noticed Pu was flying down to Yusuke. She looked up to see the girls still behind a barrier and she let out a sigh of relief. She turned back to the small beast and raised an eyebrow curiously. _What's the little guy trying to do?_ He _can't take on Toguro… Can he…?_

Pu flapped down until he was just above Yusuke and Toguro. They both looked up at the beast in curiosity or alarm. Then, he did something he'd never done before. Pu said, "Don't mind _me,_ boys!"

Yusuke raised an eyebrow, the best he could do to express his confusion. "Am I hearing right? Genkai?"

"Hmm…" Toguro watched the possessed beast, waiting for the old woman to speak.

 _Oh…_ Sayomi blinked. _Speak of the devil…_

"Toguro…" Genkai-possessed-Pu turned to the demon. "You want to draw out Yusuke's potential, correct? There's one way that can't miss… and it'll save time, too. _Kill one of his friends._ "

Everyone stared at the old woman in either disbelief or on guard. Sayomi shook her head in denial. _That can't be the only way…_

"Wh-what are you _saying?!_ " Yusuke yelled angrily.

Genkai ignored Yusuke and said, "Like a hesitant thorough-bred he needs someone to apply the _whip._ And that means snuffing out the life of someone he cares about." She turned to Yusuke, ignoring his glare. "As it stands, everyone here is going to die. If one dies now, the rest have some hope of seeing tomorrow."

" _Is that right?!_ " Yusuke shot up to his feet and pointed at Genkai accusingly. " _How can you be so coldblooded?! No amount of power is worth that price! Nothing is!_ "

Genkai slapped the back of Yusuke's head with one of Pu's wings. When Yusuke recovered and got in her face with defiant rage, Genkai stared him down and said, "This is the world you're in, like it or not. You think your feeble complaints matter here? It's not _your_ choice anyway."

"Heh…" Toguro flicked two finger bullets and hit both Yusuke and the small beast in the head. Pu flew away and Yusuke landed back on the ground in a heap of pain. Toguro stared down at the boy with pity. "That's right. I'd _considered_ doing it… as a last resort. Since it appears you have little control over your power… my course is clear."

"Unh! _Don't…!_ " Yusuke shook as he tried to get to his feet.

"Hmm…" Toguro turned to Yusuke's teammates. They all flinched as his eyes swept over each one, sizing them up like a butcher choosing his meat. Then, he raised his finger and pointed. " _You_ get to die."

Kuwabara flinched when Toguro pointed him out.

"Your death will ensure Urameshi gives his all," Toguro said as he walked towards the human boy. "And don't think I won't _appreciate_ it."

" _Toguro! Don't do it!_ " Yusuke dashed forward and punched Toguro in the back of the head. He quickly jumped in front of him and delivered a torrent of punches in an effort to stop him. "Aaarr!"

"Shoo!" Toguro smacked him out his way like an annoying insect.

Yusuke was sent flying backwards. He hit the ground on his back and bounced a couple times. Then he recovered and sprang back. " _Oh no you don't!_ "

Again, Toguro knocked him out of the way. Yusuke landed hard on the ground and forced himself to get up. Blood spilled from his mouth and open cuts and scrapes.

"The four of us have to step in, Hiei." Kurama kept his eyes fixed on the coming threat. "Toguro's flipped, _demanding_ his level of power from Yusuke."

"What'll you use?" Hiei asked casually. "You're tapped out. And the woman is banned from fighting."

"So are you. Tapped out, that is," Kurama countered. "Would you rather bug out?"

"Not on your life." Hiei smirked. "He'll get whatever we've got."

"I don't mind fighting if it means I can help. One fight won't kill me." Sayomi kept her voice low and firm. Inside, she could feel her nerves building up. _I just hope I don't eat my words…_

Toguro punched Yusuke in the stomach, stopping him from landing another hit.

" _Hack! Graagh!_ " Yusuke made it to all fours then he started hacking up more blood.

Toguro stared down at him and said, "You're pathetic, Urameshi."

" _Raaah!_ " Yusuke shot up to kneel and aimed his Reigun to shoot.

Toguro disappeared from Yusuke's line of sight and reappeared behind him with a hand resting on his shoulder. "You've got nothing." He pushed down, pressing Yusuke face-first into the earth. He stood up, leaving Yusuke face-down in a crater, and made his way to Kuwabara.

" _Here he comes!_ " Kurama warned, preparing to attack.

" _Wait!_ " Kuwabara stepped forward from behind his teammates. "Leave this to me."

"Kuwabara…?" Sayomi's eyes widened in disbelief.

" _Are you out of your mind?!_ " Kurama snapped. " _You? Alone? That's suicide!_ " He halted when he saw the look in Kuwabara's eyes.

"Koenma… You've bet _your_ life on Urameshi." Kuwabara turned to the prince with clear eyes. They weren't clouded with fear, anger, or hope of survival. They only reflected his resolve as he stepped forward. "I'll do the same… for what it's worth."

Sayomi couldn't bring herself to stop him. She couldn't move as her vision became blurry with unshed tears. She couldn't bring herself to regret meeting the obnoxious human that gave her a headache at times.

" _Admit defeat? Never!_ " Kuwabara dashed forward at a full sprint. " _Urameshi!_ "

Toguro was half way across the field in one moment. In the next, he was standing right in front of Kuwabara with his fingers digging into his chest. Yusuke let out a shrill scream as he watched Toguro pull out his bloody fingers.

Kuwabara reached out to Yusuke, ignoring the gaping wound in his chest and the blood in his mouth. "I sure as heck… hope you… got enough… to make this… worth my while…"

As Kuwabara collapsed to the floor, Toguro jumped back out of the way. Sayomi and the others rushed forward to help. As Kurama reached him, he swung Kuwabara's arm over his shoulders and tried to stop the bleeding. After a brief moment, his face fell in grief with Kuwabara's limp body in his arms. Sayomi tried desperately to heal his wounds, but she was too slow. She hung her head low, mourning the boy she had come to think of as a friend.

Yusuke paled as he saw his best friend die in front of him. He clenched his teeth, unable to speak or blink. He let his head fall limp between his arms as he grieved on all fours.

Toguro stared down at him with his arms crossed. "Should I do it again? If that's what it takes, then perhaps I should take out your medic..."

Yusuke silently stood on his feet and disappeared. Toguro flinched when he lost sight of the boy. Sayomi and her teammates gasped when they spotted him again.

" _Eh?!_ " Toguro turned to see Yusuke standing behind him.

His eyes were glued to the ground and his body was heavy with regret. His voice was barely audible as he spoke to Toguro. "I _am_ pathetic. I couldn't stop… one friend's death…"

Massive waves of aura began to emit from Yusuke. Sayomi could see it and feel the flux of cold and warm. She felt her body relax on reflex. _Yusuke's aura… It feels… sad…_

"This isn't Yusuke's _usual chi!_ " Kurama observed.

"It's my fault…" Yusuke slowly began to walk towards Toguro, his face devoid of any emotion except grief. "I'll never… be able to _forgive_ myself…"

"Now…" Toguro watched Yusuke with interest. "Nothing stands in his way." His interest soon morphed into a grin. "It's the same for _you,_ I'd say!" He rushed towards Yusuke. "You should be _grateful,_ Urameshi! _Your power_ is now approaching a level that _matches mine!_ You've become like me!"

"I've become… like you?" Yusuke stared down at the ground as the words registered in his mind. "No…" He glared and gritted his teeth. " _No!_ "

"How can you _deny it?!_ " Toguro threw a strong right uppercut, sending Yusuke bouncing across the field on his back. He grinned as he flexed his hands eagerly. "Come on, I know that _barely_ scratched you! My punches are just as devastating as before, and seconds ago that would've _atomized_ you! But you're well able to _withstand_ such blows now! That's power, little buddy! _Real power!_ "

"You're right… that wasn't too bad." Yusuke pulled himself out of the crater he made in the barricade. Though he was covered in bruises and scratches, he stood up without any sign of acknowledging the pain.

"Their power levels are matching up," Hiei observed.

"But Yusuke's not Toguro. He _can't_ be." Kurama denied the comparison with certainty as he felt Yusuke's aura.

Sayomi stared at Yusuke. She let the tears slide down since no one would see under her hood. _Even though he's as strong as Toguro, he feels so sad… This isn't what he wanted…_

"Does your soul _ache_ with loss? Heh heh…" Toguro laughed off Yusuke's grief and said, "Don't worry, it's like the measles – you'll gain _resistance!_ You stand there as if you're helpless! You're _not!_ You've gotten _stronger!_ Isn't that what you want? Of course it is! You _want_ to be like me, no matter _what it takes!_ Now is _your_ moment! You must _believe_ that _power is everything!_ "

Yusuke clenched is fists. "I'm not like you." He looked up at Toguro. His eyes displayed open sadness and pity. "I could never abandon my humanity. I've come this far because of those who've stood by me."

Sayomi bit her lip in shame. _What will he think when he finds out the truth?_

" _What mush!_ " Toguro glared at Yusuke in disgust. " _Pure emotional claptrap!_ Don't you _see?!_ You can _stand on your own_ now!" When Yusuke didn't respond, his eyes narrowed. "Heh heh heh… Perhaps another spur… or… should I kill all of them…?"

Toguro turned towards Yusuke's teammates. Before he could take a full step, he felt a tug. He looked down behind him to see the boy with a firm grip on his wrist, holding him back. He glared and said, " _Let go…_ "

"Somewhere… deep inside… I _admired_ you." Yusuke held on as he kept his eyes cast down. "Your power really frightened me… but it also drew me in… with a _desire_ I didn't understand." He let tears flow from his eyes and mix with the dirt and blood on his face. "Yes, I _did_ want it! _Craved it!_ Genkai tried to warn me, but I didn't get it. I do _now,_ though." He tightened his grip on Toguro's wrist. "I realize what _you_ threw away. _I won't do that!_ " His aura blazed, causing a minor earthquake. "Friends, soul, humanity… _I'll defend them to my last breath!_ "

Sayomi stared with drying eyes and her mouth slightly open in shock. _His aura's changing again… His doubt is gone!_

Toguro stared down at Yusuke in disappointment. "So you are Genkai's student after all. Which means you're _no better._ "

Yusuke glared up at him from under his stray bangs. " _You won't kill again! I won't allow it! I'll take you down first!_ "

"Heh…" Toguro smirked. "Is that so?"

Yusuke threw a full-force right hook into Toguro's face. The attack sent him toppling over himself across the field and crashing through a wall. Everyone, including Sakyo, stared at the spectacle with open mouths and wide eyes.

" _Gluuh!_ " Toguro sat up when he stopped bouncing. His neck was bent at an unnatural angle and blood dribbled from his mouth. His eyes widened when he saw a massive blast of aura closing in on him.

The Reigun blast hit Toguro and blew past him through the cement walls Sakyo raised. It soared through the woods and over the ocean before fading out of sight over the horizon.

Yusuke lowered his hands and stared down at Toguro. "I have one last shot. I'll put everything I have into it. I invite _you_ to use all the power you purchased with the _price of your soul._ " Yusuke raised his finger to point at Toguro. "I have one aim – your total obliteration… and I _will_ achieve it."

Toguro got to his feet and popped his neck back into place. "I like that look… I've seen it in the eyes of many challengers who died by my hands. Whatever their real strength, I honored them with my full power." Then he charged. "You, however, have enabled me to _raise my own threshold! Come!_ _Rraargh!_ " Toguro's muscle mass expanded again. His skin turned gray and strained as his shoulders grew more layers of bone. His pants ripped, unable to sheath his massive calves and thighs.

"He's almost _unrecognizable!_ " The audience watched the transformation with a mix of shock, fear, and disgust.

" _This is it: 100% of 100%!_ " Toguro rushed at Yusuke. "To be the best at something, you can care about _nothing else!_ You'll never be able to do that, so you will _fail!_ "

"Did you stop caring or just make yourself forget?" Yusuke faced Toguro head-on. He focused his aura on his trigger finger, letting it build until his whole body was surrounded by his energy.

" _Here we go!_ "

" _This'll decide the match!_ " The fans braced themselves for the impact.

"He's… using his _life energy!_ " Kurama realized at the last second.

" _What?!_ " Sayomi stared helplessly as the gap between the two fighters closed.

" _Yusuke!_ " Koenma called out urgently.

" _Eat this!_ " Yusuke shouted as he fired his last shot.

" _Nyaarr!_ " Toguro reached out to meet the attack with his left hand, using his legs to anchor himself into the ground. " _Gnyaah!_ " He tightened his grip until his arm began to bleed from the strain. " _Hrun!_ " He quickly brought up his other hand to hold back the blast.

"He grabbed it with _both hands!_ "

"He's gone to _total defensive mode!_ "

Sayomi and her teammates watched anxiously as the attack began to push Toguro back. Sayomi clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white. _This is it! Come on, Yusuke!_

Yusuke collapsed to his knees, his arms hanging limp in front of him.

"Hrr!" Toguro grunted as the blast continued to press into him. He squeezed his large arms around the Reigun blast, hugging it to his body. "Nyaar!"

" _Come on!_ " Sayomi shouted desperately.

" _Grayaaah!_ " Toguro squeezed until the blast disseminated from his grasp. He was left standing in a squat with his arms crossed in front of his lowered head.

A lull of silence fell upon the crowd. Their faces overshadowed with dread while some slumped to their knees in defeat. "It's over… and we're all _doomed!_ "

"Yusuke…?" Sayomi felt paralyzed when she saw him fall over unconscious. Her eyes snapped up when she saw Toguro move.

He dragged his feet towards Yusuke. Blood and sweat dripped down from his abdominals, arms, and legs. He smiled down at the boy and said, "Thank you, Urameshi… for pushing me _past_ my limit…"

The crowd listened in suspense, waiting for Toguro to turn on them. Then a loud crack echoed throughout the arena. Everyone watched with open mouths and wide eyes as they focused on Toguro.

"Guess it's… the strain… of going _beyond_ 100%..." Toguro's enhanced bone structure and muscle mass shattered around him. He was reduced to his original lean build. "You reached… _120% at least!_ Fighting… for the sake of others… is a source of _great power…_ " His smile stayed in place as he collapsed just feet away from Yusuke.

"They're _both_ down!" A fan supported his friend as he turned to a stunned Koto. "We're saved…"

As Koto recovered from her shock, Juri came out of hiding. They both approached Toguro with caution.

"Oh…!" Juri brought her hand up to cover her mouth as she gasped. Toguro was white as bone, the life gone from him in mere seconds. When Juri looked up, her eyes widened as she looked past Koto's shoulder. "Uh…!"

Koto turned around curiously, then froze when she saw Yusuke on his feet.

Sayomi's vision blurred as she felt a smile spread across her face.

Yusuke stared ahead at nothing, his breathing shallow. His fists held firm despite his limp arms. Though he was unfocused and exhausted, he was standing.

Koto and Juri raised their arms and announced together, " _The winner: Urameshi!_ "

" _Yusuke!_ " Kurama ran towards Yusuke as he dropped back down to his knees. Sayomi, Koenma, and Hiei followed close behind the red-head. He made it in time to catch him and said, " _Yusuke! It's okay! It's over!_ You did it, you _beat_ him! You're the _champ!_ "

Yusuke stared down at nothing. "Am I… still alive…?"

Koenma stepped forward and said, "Take it from me, you are! That last shot… _Incredible!_ "

"Aw, man…" Sayomi's excitement died when she saw Yusuke slip free from Kurama and clench his fists in the dirt. "…This…" He glared and clenched his teeth bitterly. "… _This really sucks!_ " Koenma, Kurama, and Hiei all watched as his empty eyes filled with regret. "I should've been able to do this without _Kuwabara's sacrifice!_ So what's this worth? _Nothing!_ "

"Yusuke…" Kurama stared at the boy with sympathy.

Yusuke hung his head in shame. "I was right here… and I _couldn't_ save him!"

As Yusuke grieved, Kuwabara got to his feet and threw up peace signs with a goofy grin. When Yusuke realized no one was saying anything, he looked up to see his classmate walking among the living.

"Yo! How's it goin'?" Kuwabara smiled broadly at Yusuke's haunted, tear-stained face.

Kurama closed his eyes and cleared his throat. "The thing is, Yusuke… Kuwabara never died." When Yusuke glared at Kurama with tears and a running nose, Kurama smiled nervously and explained, "Now, calm down and listen to me! At the moment…"

 _A few minutes earlier…_

" _Kuwabara!_ " Kurama ran up to his dying teammate and wrapped his arm over his shoulder for support. He stopped short when he realized the truth.

Kuwabara grimaced as he looked at Kurama. He kept his head down and his voice low as he said, "Hurts, but… he missed my heart. Don't say anything, okay? Yusuke needs… a good kick in the pants!"

Sayomi kneeled beside him and reached for his chest. She lowered her head and muffled her voice. "Hold still. If you stay like this, I might be able to use your own shadow to heal you in secret."

"Heh heh…" Kuwabara smirked and let himself slump into Kurama's arms.

 _Back in the present…_

Yusuke listened to Kurama as he began to grasp the reality of the situation. His grief gave way to disbelief followed shortly by anger. "You didn't tell me? You… you all _tricked_ me?"

"Why not? You had to focus… and it helped." Hiei sighed and turned to stare at the ground briefly. "It's like you said, you should've been able to do it without such motivation."

Sayomi chuckled quietly before tapping Hiei's arm and pointing him towards the large dust cloud. Kurama pointed towards Hiei and said, "Uh… Hiei's _here…_ "

"So you _jerked_ me around again! You're _dead_ , Kuwabara!"

" _Ow!_ "

"Still got _fight_ in ya, eh?"

"Hey! Watch it! That _smarts!_ "

"Hmm…" Yusuke stood with his foot on Kuwabara's head and his hand curled under his chin in thought. He reached down and picked up a beaten Kuwabara by his curls. "Okay guys, out with it! _Why_ didn't he die?"

Sayomi sighed and marched towards the boys. "Damn it, Yusuke. I just _healed_ him! That doesn't mean _you_ get to waste my efforts _again!_ " She reached for Kuwabara and laid him down on the ground to repair the fresh damage.

When Kuwabara felt well enough, he brushed Sayomi aside and got to his feet. He turned to look at his attacker. "Toguro…"

Hiei looked up towards the sky as he said, "He probably underestimated Kuwabara's defenses, which are unusually strong. He's certainly stubborn."

"Nuthin' wrong with _that!_ " Kuwabara defended as he glared down at the fire demon.

" _I_ can list a few things wrong with it." Sayomi glared at Kuwabara from under her hood. She let her aura creep from beneath her cloak for extra effect. She smirked when she saw his face become pale.

"I don't think Toguro intended to kill anyone…" Kurama suggested. "He just wanted to make the most of this day… the day he finally faced his ultimate challenger."

"However it was, I…" Koenma trailed off as the ground began to shake.

As the shaking got worse, Sayomi and the others were thrown off balance. She looked around as the stadium began to crumble. The remaining survivors scrambled to get out from under falling debris.

"But _why?!_ " Kurama asked desperately. Everyone followed the red-head's line of sight to the businessman with the red button. " _Sakyo!_ "

Sakyo stared down at the timer as it counted down from five minutes before slipping it into his pocket. "Kurama's pegged it, I think. I haven't known Toguro long, but I've seen hints of weakness. Now it comes to this – _I lose._ I didn't give those hints sufficient consideration… to my cost. This arena will soon self-destruct, taking _me and my ambition_ with it."

There was a brief moment of silence from the crowd as Sakyo's words began to sink in. Then all hell broke loose as everyone stormed down the stands and jumped over the barricades.

" _Lemme outta heeeeere!_ "

" _Quick! Leave through Urameshi's blast hole!_ "

" _Whoa!_ " Yusuke stood his ground as the horde of demons rushed by. "Plenty of _survivors,_ I see!"

Sayomi stood her ground and frantically scanned through the sea of faces. She froze when she spotted the girls still at the second level balcony. She pointed up at them and said, "I found the girls!" She hesitated and arched a curious brow. "I think something's wrong with Keiko!"

"What?!" Yusuke yelled over the screams of fans.

" _Oh no!_ " Kuwabara bellowed. " _Yukina! She's up there!_ " He proceeded to charge against the current of fans, making a beeline for the girls and leaving a confused gap in his wake. " _Outta my way, ya pug-uglies!_ "

"He's impossible," Hiei muttered.

"But effective. Let's go." Kurama followed behind Kuwabara with Sayomi and the others close behind.

Once at the top, Kuwabara turned left and ran straight for the girls. " _Yukina! You okay?!_ "

"Yes! But _Keiko—_ she's completely _out of it!_ " Yukina called out in worry.

As she approached Kuwabara, the stadium wall began to topple down over Yukina. As the wall crashed onto the floor, Kuwabara screamed in fear. " _Yukina!_ " He stopped short when the dust began to settle. " _Yow!_ "

Hiei was kneeling on the other side of the rubble with his arm holding the ice maiden close to his side. He averted his eyes, refusing to look at her directly. "Move out. Got it?"

"O-okay…" Yukina blinked as she realized what had happened. "…Thank you, you s-saved…"

" _This way! Hurry!_ " Yusuke called out to his friends and mother. He limped along while Koenma supported his left side. Sayomi and Kurama stayed just close enough in case he needed another hand.

Sayomi stopped short when she saw Hiei release Yukina from his grip. She felt a warmth in her chest that quickly cooled when Hiei turned away from the girl. _Even now, he keeps his distance…_

Botan looked up at Yusuke in a panic. "Keiko's still weirded-out! _She won't get up!_ "

"She _won't,_ eh?" Yusuke glared down at his childhood friend as he grabbed her by the shirt and yelled in her face. " _Hey! Keiko! Get a grip! Y'hear me?! It's all over! I won! We beat 'em!_ Oh for the luvva…" He gritted his teeth as he began to slap her cheeks, snapping her head back and forth. "Wakey, wakey… _ya little pest!_ "

"Ow… Ow… Hey… _Ow…!_ " Keiko's dizzy eyes tried to focus as Yusuke continued his assault. Keiko growled until she smacked him head-first into the pavement. " _That hurt!_ " She then blinked back into reality as she realized her mistake. "Oops… Um… wha'… Wha' hoppen?"

"Yeesh…" Kuwabara cringed as he looked down at Yusuke's unconscious body. "Now _Yusuke's_ watchin' the birdies…"

Sayomi sighed and shook her head. "Serves him right for doing something that stupid." She heard a scream cut off with a clear splat just yards from her and the others. "I'll fix him later. For now, I think we'd better bail before this place blows us up with it."

"Sayomi's right. Let's go!" Kurama agreed.

Keiko growled as she dragged Yusuke's body onto her back and took off. Sayomi followed close behind, making sure Keiko didn't falter while carrying the boy. As they ran through the forest, Sayomi heard Keiko grumble under her breath. "Feh! It's always _something_ with this guy!"

As they made it to the main road, the stadium exploded into a mass of flame and smoke. Sayomi watched with her friends as the arena burned down, along with the demon who dragged them into it in the first place.

"So… That's it," Kuwabara muttered.

"Yeah…" Yusuke agreed. "Game, set, and match."

"Awake, eh? Then _off,_ ya free-loader!" Keiko glared as she threw Yusuke from her back.

Yusuke sat up and rubbed the bump that quickly formed on his head. "Ow! Now _you're_ tryin' t' snuff me!"

"Hah! _As if,_ you blockhead!" Keiko retorted angrily.

"Now, now," Kurama chided as he held the angry teen back. "Don't you two get started."

"I oughta…" Yusuke growled between clenched teeth.

"Yes, save it for later." Koenma stepped between the teens to block their view of each other.

" _Whoa!_ " Atsuko exclaimed loudly. "What about the _prize?_ Each winner gets one wish, right?! So how are you gonna _collect_ on that now, huh?"

"Shoot! I'd _forgotten!_ " Kuwabara jumped as he recalled the prize.

"Figures," Atsuko sighed. "Any ideas, anyone?"

Yusuke slumped down to the ground and leaned back on his hands. "There's just one thing we all want… but no wish can bring it about…"

Sayomi lowered her head and closed her eyes as the face of her teacher appeared in her mind's eye.

Yusuke stared up at the rising smoke. "…All that matters is – _we won! Hear that, Genkai? We won!_ "


	34. Chapter 34

It was still dark outside when Sayomi got out of bed. She was careful not to make a sound as she snuck out of the room and shut the door behind her. She let out a sigh of relief as she made her way down the stairs. _Don't need to bother them after all that mess. They should get all the rest they can for the trip home._

When she stepped outside, she pulled her hood down and enjoyed the breeze in her hair. She took a deep breath and stretched her arms and legs. She briefly expanded her senses, double-checking for any curious eyes. Finding none, she covered herself in shadows and traveled through them.

As she glided through the trees, she felt like she was home again. So long as the sun was still below the skyline, there was enough darkness to stretch over the whole island. She discovered birds' nests, squirrel nooks, and various wildlife without alerting them to her presence.

Before too long, she noticed the shift in lighting and made her way to view the sunrise. She took a seat with her legs hanging over the cliff and watched the star creep over the horizon. She smiled as she saw the sky change from deep blue to vibrant pinks and oranges. She could feel the cold spray from the water below and the heat from the rising sun.

She took a deep breath and took in the scent of the ocean. "The sky in the Human World is so beautiful compared to the Demon Plane." As she stared ahead, she began to think back on their time together as a team. "We all trained so hard. Yusuke really surprised everyone. Heh heh." She chuckled at the memory of when he couldn't stand after Genkai's tournament. "He sure has come a long way in such a short time already. He's defeated Rando, the Four Beasts, and now he's won the Dark Tournament. The markings haven't appeared yet, so I guess he's not ready, but just how long could it take at the rate he's growing?

"Not to mention how strong _Kuwabara_ has become." She smiled as she recalled her first encounter with the boy before the Four Beasts case. "I thought he was pretty loud and annoying at first. He jumps into fights without thinking and he's usually the first to lose, but despite all that he keeps going back to try again. I guess he kinda grew on me a bit. He's proven himself to be loyal and kind-hearted, even if it kills him. Can't say I regret meeting a human like him.

"Kurama, however, has shown his true self." Sayomi's smile fell into a worried frown. "I always looked at him as the easiest to get along with, but seeing him as the fox demon makes me realize a few things I seemed to have overlooked before. It showed in the first round when he killed his opponent. And after he transformed the first time, he became persistent with finding a way to trigger it again. I knew who he was, but I guess I hoped he had changed his ways." She remembered his match against Karasu. "I can see what Hiei meant about being with him instead of against him."

Sayomi bit her lip as the fire demon crossed her mind. "Not to mention how strong _he_ has gotten since we got here." She propped up a knee and hugged it close to her chest. She recalled how scared she used to be around him. "You can't really blame me, though. He didn't seem all that thrilled being around us to begin with. So when did that all change?" Her eyebrows creased in thought. "I guess it was when we rescued Yukina. That makes sense, but what about _after_ that? Everyone else seemed to have picked up on it except me."

She rested her head and let out a sigh. "I wish the girls hadn't brought it to my attention."

She tried to banish the thoughts but she only recalled more. She remembered training with him in the mountains. She remembered their talk after he was released from Luka's barrier. Their moment in the rain and her meditation shortly after. As she thought about him, she began to remember the warmth of his skin and his scent. She shook her head, banishing the thoughts away. "This is ridiculous. I've never fawned over a guy before, so why is this getting to me?"

The image of a shirtless swordsman flashed through her mind and she growled. "Damn it!" She crossed her legs and began her deep breathing exercises. _I can't dwell on these thoughts. They'll only distract me._

She centered her mind, and closed her eyes. Her body relaxed as she slipped into her meditation. Her mind's eye opened to the Void that surrounded her. She didn't move from her lotus position, but spoke her thoughts aloud.

"Now how far have _I_ come since I came to this world?" Her voice carried on in the darkness. For now, she was still alone. "Everyone has been able to improve because of the matches, but I just stayed on the sidelines and healed them. I didn't even step up when I was supposed to."

Sayomi looked down at her arms. They were still covered in the black tattoos. "Not that it matters. Now that I've been banned from fighting, I guess I won't really have to worry about this anymore." She lifted the edge of her cloak and scowled. "Not to mention I still don't really know how to use this."

Her voice echoed and she turned to the right. Her eyes narrowed as she shifted to infrared vision. "Who's there?"

"Come now, sister. Have you already forgotten our deal?"

Sayomi held her glare as she said, "I didn't agree to anything. You just stated that you would be back after the tournament if I survived. I just didn't think you would show up this soon."

Yasuhiro walked into view and smiled warmly. "I don't suppose you would give your brother a hug?"

Sayomi turned to face forward and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes, slipping out of infrared vision, and replied as passively as she could. "I'm not a very huggy person."

Yasuhiro's smile faltered and he crossed his arms. "When did you become so cold? We used to be so open with each other."

"What did you do?" Sayomi kept her tone neutral, but she couldn't deny the emotions churning within her.

"What do you mean?" Yasuhiro asked.

"Koenma said you're a dangerous criminal. What did you do?" She couldn't look at him. She couldn't bear to even hear the words that he spoke.

Yasuhiro sighed and said, "I told you. We were suspected—"

"Of what?" Sayomi interjected quietly.

"Sayomi." Yasuhiro pleaded. "Don't let them come between us like this. Do you remember what Mother said?"

Sayomi's eyes snapped open as her breath caught in her throat. She recalled her mother's long black hair and blue-gray eyes. Her pale skin made her look frail as she laid in her bed. Sayomi choked back a sob as the memory played back clearly in her mind.

" _Yasuhiro… Take care of your sister. You're the only one she has left…" Their mother smiled at her son._

" _I promise, Mother. I won't let anything happen to her." Yasuhiro stared down at her with distant eyes. He knew this time would come, but he couldn't help locking away his emotions for the sake of present company._

" _I still have you, too, mommy!" Sayomi held on to her mother's hand. It felt cold between her small hands so she tried to rub heat into them. "You'll feel better soon."_

 _Her mother smiled and patted her head. "I can't stay much longer. You'll need to be strong, but I know you can do it, Sayomi. And watch out for your brother. You both will need each other to get through these times."_

 _Yasuhiro stared down at his mother, holding back tears for another time. He rested his hand on Sayomi's shoulder and squeezed it gently. "You don't need to worry, mother. I will keep her safe."_

" _I know you will, Hiro." Their mother closed her eyes and leaned back into her bed. "And soon you both will keep each other safe…"_

" _Mommy?" Sayomi gently shook her hand to wake her. "Mommy? You're coming too, right?" When she didn't rouse, Sayomi shook again. "Mommy, wake up. You're coming too!"_

 _Yasuhiro flinched when he felt Sayomi twist out of his grasp. He looked down to see her looking up at him with unshed tears in her eyes. "Hiro, why isn't she waking up?"_

 _Yasuhiro knelt down and pulled Sayomi in for a tight hug. She cried as she hugged back, grasping onto his shirt with her small fists. He held her close, resting a hand on her head, and let his own tears slip down silently._

As the memory faded back into the Void, Sayomi could feel the warm tears sliding down her cheeks. She took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. She flinched when she felt Yasuhiro's hand on her head.

"I'm sorry," Yasuhiro said quietly. "For a moment, I thought you forgot about that. You were still so young back then."

Sayomi kept her breathing steady as she fought back the urge to cry more. "I never forgot her… She's the reason I'm trying to get stronger…" She clenched and unclenched her fists as she tried to stay calm. "But don't worry. They banned me from fighting so this," She gestured towards her arms. "Won't get worse any time soon."

"Why do you think I'm out to hurt you, Sayomi?" Yasuhiro kept his tone gentle. "You're my sister and I swore on Mother's deathbed."

"So why are you a wanted criminal?" Despite the painful memory, Sayomi only had this chance to find out the truth and she couldn't let it slip. "Does it have anything to do with that one technique you used?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you…" Yasuhiro pulled his hand back in shame.

Sayomi turned to face him but there was nothing but darkness. She stood up and tried to sense his aura. "Yasuhiro? Where did you go?"

Though she couldn't see him, his voice echoed around her. "I'll give you space for now. You seem to be swept up in their idealism, so I'll let you discover the truth on your own. Maybe then, you'll be ready to come home."

Sayomi opened her physical eyes and immediately closed them again as the sun glared at her from the clear sky. She stood up and turned away to stretch out her legs. As she made her way back towards the hotel, she couldn't help thinking about her mother.

 _Damn it, why did he have to bring that up? It's not that I wanted to forget her or anything, but…_ Her mother's dying smile made her heart clench with grief. _I don't want to remember her corpse…_

As Sayomi wandered through the forest, she tried to distract herself from the train of thought. _Oh right… I still need to explain what happened while Hiei was unconscious. How do I even_ begin _to explain that? He's been acting more like his old self since I told him I can't fight. But can I really blame him? Damn it! If only I had stayed with the girls then none of this would've happened._ She slowed to a stop and glared down at her bare arms. The black marks glared back dangerously, threatening to overwhelm her if she wasn't careful. "No… It's because I was too much of a coward to step in for Master Genkai… I'm just a pathetic weakling…"

"Is that the reason you went back on your word or your excuse to quit fighting?"

Sayomi looked up and found Hiei lounging in a tree. His body was relaxed but his eyes were hard as garnets when he looked down at her. She sighed and averted her eyes, choosing to stare just below him. "A little of both, I guess…"

Hiei glared down at her and said, "Look at me."

"I am," she replied with apathy.

Hiei growled and jumped down from the tree. He instantly appeared in front of Sayomi and said, "You were looking in my general direction. I told you to look at _me._ "

Sayomi stepped back and looked down at the floor instead. "I can't."

"You mean you won't. What happened in the past 24 hours to make you so timid?" When she refused to speak, he grabbed her chin and forced her to look up. "If you don't answer, I won't hesitate to find out for myself through other means."

She stared at the faint glow beneath his headband and whispered, "Okay…"

"Good. Now talk." He loosened his grip but didn't let go.

"After I healed Kurama…" Sayomi winced when her eyes wandered and Hiei's grip tightened again. She looked at his eyes and focused on the shade of red as her words began to spill from her mouth. "Koenma wanted to talk to me about Yasuhiro. He learned about the markings and told me not to fight anymore. He also told me about Yasuhiro's criminal background. Then this morning, he appeared in my meditation again."

Hiei's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of her brother. "What did he do?"

"He said I wouldn't believe him if he told me." Sayomi didn't want to remember the rest of the meditation.

"Did anything else happen?" Hiei was familiar enough with her ritual to know there was more to it. How much more tended to vary.

"He said that he'll give me space until I learn the truth."

Hiei stared at her pale gray eyes. They looked empty. It was as if the luster had been drained from them. He could tell there was more, but she didn't want to tell him. He sighed and let her go. "So Koenma is the one telling you what to do now? I thought you didn't work for him."

Sayomi rubbed her sore jaw and said, "I don't. But he's been keeping an eye on me and he found out about my relation to Yasuhiro. He wants to see if I can draw him out of hiding and he doesn't want me losing control around the team."

Hiei scoffed and crossed his arms. "This again."

"What do you mean?" Sayomi's eyebrows creased in confusion.

"You always talk about losing control. It sounds as if you accept it as an inevitable fact." Hiei watched as Sayomi's eyes shifted from silver to storm gray.

"It _is_ inevitable, Hiei." She lifted her arms for him to see the exposed markings. "How else do you explain this? The same thing happened to Yasuhiro a long time ago. He became mad and I fled when I had the chance."

"That's because he was weak-minded and he let his power control him." Hiei kept calm as Sayomi visibly strained to stay still. "I'm starting to see the family resemblance."

Sayomi's eyes snapped up to glare at Hiei. "It's not as easy as you make it out to be."

"If you're looking for pity then go to Kurama or Kuwabara. You're spineless when it comes to real danger and your word is as worthless as you are weak. If you can't do so much as one simple given task, then I needn't waste any more of my time training you."

"You're right! And that's the problem, Hiei…" Sayomi focused on her breathing as she tried to find the right words. "You don't understand what it's like… To know that the only way to survive is to become stronger, yet at the same time, that strength could easily overwhelm you. If I lose control, I could end up fading away into nothing… Or I could end up hurting you guys…"

"You keep saying 'if.' You're living in fear of a possibility and it's weakening you to the point of coming true. If the same thing happened to your brother than he must've been weaker than you to fall victim to his own power."

Sayomi glared at Hiei, clenching her jaw and fists to keep from lashing out. She tried to take keep calm, but he continued to stab at her with his sharp tongue.

"The only reason I agreed to train you in the first place was because you wouldn't stop annoying me about it. Now you're willing to quit because of some spoiled brat and a few tattoos." Hiei sighed and said, "You're more of a disappointment than I initially thought. At least at the castle you weren't afraid of a fight."

"I didn't have these tattoos all over my body at the castle." Sayomi spoke calmly, but she could feel her aura shifting with her emotions. "I didn't know Koenma was keeping tabs on me back then. I didn't know Yasuhiro was alive. Things change, Hiei."

Hiei glared back at her and said, "You're making excuses. If you really wanted to fight, then you wouldn't let these events affect you. The only thing that changed was your knowledge of them."

"Koenma told me specifically to not fight anymore." Sayomi crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes slightly. "How do you expect me to defy the damn ruler of all three worlds?"

"You get over your childish fears and do what you want. If you can't live your own life without cowering under someone else, then you're wasting my time."

"Well I'm sorry I wasted your time. I'll be sure to stay out of your way after we get off this island." Sayomi let her glare give way to apathy. She didn't want him to notice how she really felt about the issue.

"You would do well to also stay away from Yukina if you want to continue living like a scared child."

"What does Yukina have to do with any of this?" Sayomi felt her temperature drop at the mention of the gentle ice apparition.

"If you do become consumed, I don't want you anywhere near her."

"That's only if I keep fighting, Hiei. The point is to not fight so I don't lose control."

"If you knew this could happen, then why did you insist on learning in the first place?"

"I…" Sayomi faltered as she recalled her first time in Human World. _Master Genkai asked me the same question back then._ "I wanted to be strong enough to protect myself. I didn't want anyone else to die or get hurt protecting me."

"No." Hiei stared her down and said, "You wanted to fool yourself into thinking you weren't weak like your brother. In the end, you fooled me into believing you."

Sayomi's eyes slowly widened as he spoke. _Is… that really…?_

"As soon as we leave this island, I don't want you in my sight." Without waiting for her to reply, Hiei disappeared.

Sayomi couldn't move for a few minutes. She could only stare at the space that he had occupied. Her heart ached as she replayed their whole interaction. _And now he hates me. I wonder if it would've hurt this much had I not learned about my own feelings…_

When she opened the door to the room, Yusuke quickly pulled her into a surprise headlock. He grinned and said, "About time you came back, Sai. We were gonna leave you here if you didn't show up."

Sayomi struggled to get free, but Yusuke tightened his hold. She slumped and tried to glare up at him. "I'm here now, so do you mind? Any more strain and I won't be able to breathe."

"Not yet." Yusuke's grin shifted to a smirk as he rubbed his knuckle against her head.

"Ahhh!" Sayomi struggled until she managed to tuck her chin and bite down on his arm.

"Ouch!" Yusuke reeled, clutching his arm in pain. He stared at her with a mix of shock, pain, and disgust. "Did you just _bite_ me?"

Sayomi glared at him, rubbing her head in pain. "You'll heal."

"Ha ha ha! She got ya' _good,_ Urameshi!" Kuwabara laughed and pointed at Yusuke.

"Oh yeah?" Yusuke forgot his wound and maneuvered Kuwabara into an arm bar. "Who's got who good, _now?!_ "

"Ow! Ow! _Ow!_ " Kuwabara glared and escaped, tripping Yusuke and falling on top of him. "How do you like _that?!_ "

As the boys tussled on the floor, Kurama smiled and said, "Now we just need to find the girls. If they're not in their rooms, then they're most likely already downstairs."

Sayomi shrugged and said, "I didn't see them, but I wasn't really paying much attention, to be honest."

"I see." Kurama briefly looked to the side and back again. "You're probably winding down from the adrenaline. Even without fighting, it's been an exciting trip."

"Yeah, you can say that again." Sayomi looked up at the red-head and asked, "So what are you doing after this?"

"I'll be going back home to my mother and our new family." Kurama could see the question in her eyes before she could ask it. "She has a boyfriend and I have a younger brother now. They both seem to be good people."

Sayomi smiled at the thought of Kurama as an older brother. "I'm sure it's a lovely family."

"Thank you." Kurama smiled. "Perhaps we could arrange a proper introduction sometime."

"That would be nice." Sayomi turned back to the boys as they got over their bickering. "Are you guys done now?"

"Yeah, yeah." Yusuke waved her off as he reached for his jacket. Kuwabara slipped on his backpack of clothes as Kurama slipped into a trench coat. Hiei stepped back from the window and joined the group. Yusuke slung his sack of clothes over his shoulder and asked, "Everybody ready to go?"

Sayomi looked around the room. Despite a couple of unmade beds, the space was clean. Her eyes wandered back outside. The sun was still shining bright, but there were some clouds in the sky that blocked it occasionally. She gazed out at the water, letting her thoughts wander back to her earlier meditation.

"Man, was it just ten days?" Yusuke wondered aloud. "Felt like a _whole year!_ "

" _Pu._ "

Sayomi snapped out of her thoughts as Yusuke let the small beast in through the window. He grinned and reached for the blue penguin. "You came out okay too, huh? When you had Genkai's face… Whoo, I _freaked!_ " He began to squish the poor beast as he asked, "Are you like a phone to the Underworld? Could she contact us that way again?"

"I'd say not…" Kurama answered, his eyes closed in sorrow.

"Why?" Yusuke turned to the fox curiously.

Kurama opened his eyes and answered, "The Underworld is sort of a way station between life and death. While we may have some slight contact with it from here… No one stays there for very long. Each soon leaves on a separate journey… as Genkai has by now."

"All right…" Yusuke let go of Pu and plastered a wide grin on his face as he scratched the back of his head. "If _that's_ the way it is, that's the _way it is!_ And a fella's gotta be _optimistic,_ know what I mean?!" He threw his fists in the air as he marched out the door. "Time for some _serious goofing off!_ Yeah!"

"By the way, moron – Spring Break ends today," Kuwabara said over Yusuke's cheering.

"Hmph…" Hiei scoffed as he watched Yusuke leave. "That 'who cares' act is almost embarrassing."

Sayomi ignored him and followed Yusuke to the elevator. She didn't bother taking the stairs since they were leaving for good this time around. She also didn't want to go through the trouble of looking for them in the crowd.

When they made it to the lobby, they scanned the sea of faces for the girls. Sayomi spotted Botan's and Yukina's blue hair and tapped Yusuke's arm to point them out. At the same time, Keiko noticed them and waved them over.

"About time you guys came down. What took you so long?" Keiko used a stern tone, but Sayomi could see the smile in her eyes.

"Don't blame _us!_ " Yusuke glared and gestured towards Sayomi. "We were waiting for _her_ to get back."

"Don't put the blame on me, Yusuke." Sayomi crossed her arms and said, "I could've found you guys anywhere on the island if I needed to."

"Now, now," Botan intervened with a smile. "Everyone's here so let's get on board that ship."

"Do you think they'll have an open bar?" Astuko asked curiously.

"Or maybe a gift shop," Keiko said optimistically.

"As long as no one tries to kill us," Shizuru muttered.

"Don't worry, ladies!" Kuwabara puffed out his chest and said, "You have the mighty Kazuma Kuwabara at your service. I guarantee no one will lay a hand on you." He clasped Yukina's hands in his and focused only on her.

Yukina blushed and laughed until Shizuru hit her brother over the head. "She's not the only lady around, baby bro."

"Yes, ma'am… I'm sorry…" Kuwabara grimaced in pain from the strike but tried to brush it off in front of Yukina.

Sayomi shook her head and smiled as she followed the group outside. _I'm glad we all made it out okay... or most of us. I just hope you're not too disappointed in us, Master Genkai. I hope you understand my reasons for quitting._

As they made it over the last hill, they took one last look at the horizon. The cool wind blew in with the waves, sending the scent of the salt water through the air.

"Can't wait to get off this island," Atsuko said eagerly. "Ah! There's our ship."

"Goodbye, goodbye, the Island World…" Yusuke smiled as he adjusted his grip on his sack. "Okay, let's get aboard."

"Time to blow this joint," Kuwabara agreed.

"Now we go forth, into…" Kurama smiled as Hiei cut him off.

"Aw… Get a move on!"

"Spoil sport…" Sayomi muttered under her breath.

" _Off we go – victorious!_ " Yusuke cheered and raised his fist in the air. Kuwabara, Atsuko, and Botan mimicked his enthusiasm. " _Yahoo!_ "

"With nary a look back, eh?"

Sayomi froze when the words registered in her brain.

"Huh?" Kuwabara's eyes widened in disbelief.

"That voice…" Yusuke slowly turned around with large eyes.

Everyone waited with baited breath as a short figure walked towards them at a leisurely pace. The old Reiki Master smirked with her hands behind her back. "Gonna leave an old lady stranded?"

" _Guh…_ " Sayomi looked up at Yusuke and cringed as the delinquent became a blubbering mess. " _Genkai?!_ "

Sayomi smiled as Yusuke ran towards the old woman. She laughed and followed after him, happy to see that they all survived the ordeal after all.

The Dark Tournament ended with Team Urameshi triumphant. But none of them suspected that someone would remain on the island and would, in time, take over Sakyo's sinister ambitions…


	35. Chapter 35

Sayomi sighed as she stared up at the sky. She lounged on top of Yusuke's school, waiting for him to finish for the day. As she waited, she recalled their talk with Koenma the night before. "So… Instead of burying her, he kept Master Genkai's body in cold storage so she could be revived. Did he know that's what Yusuke would've wished for?"

"Well, not exactly," Botan answered casually.

"What do you –?" Sayomi paused and quickly turned to see Botan. She was wearing the same outfit as Keiko and all the other girls in the building. "Botan? When did _you_ get here? And why are you dressed like Keiko?"

Botan smiled and said, "I'm undercover and this helps me blend in more. Besides, it's so cute!"

Sayomi scowled as Botan's voice hitched. She sighed and asked, "So what were you saying about 'not exactly'?"

"Oh, right!" Botan stopped fiddling with her outfit and said, "Toguro is actually the one who suggested it."

" _Toguro_ did?" Sayomi tried to imagine the interaction, but it was too bizarre.

Botan nodded and said, "It doesn't seem to make sense, but Genkai and Toguro had _something_ between them."

"Maybe…" There was a moment of silence before Sayomi asked, "So why are you here, Botan?"

"Hm? Oh." The reaper snapped out of her thoughts and said, "I told Yusuke to meet me after school. It will be easier to tell everyone at once so I won't need to repeat myself."

Sayomi turned away. She glared over the city and said, "You can tell me the truth. I get it. You guys don't trust me."

Botan's smile faltered and she said, "It's true, the Underworld is suspicious of you…" She looked down at the floor. "But that doesn't mean I have to be. I know I'm the one who reported you to Koenma in the first place, but I hope you understand I didn't mean you any ill will."

"I know." Sayomi couldn't bring herself to turn around. "Yusuke had just started his missions and you were cautious because I'm a demon. I understand why back then, but I don't understand why _now_."

Botan walked up next to Sayomi and looked through the chain-link fence that kept them from falling over the edge. She slid a glance towards the other girl and said, "I think it has to do with your brother. We know _you're_ not bad, and I'm sure Koenma has kept on eye on you too so he should know." She stared back at the horizon. "But you need to understand it was a bit suspicious that you kept it hidden for so long."

"I was scared, Botan." Sayomi's voice lowered as she struggled to speak. "I've seen it… I know what it can do and I… I couldn't believe it was happening to me… I don't want to live in fear, but I remember it happened to my brother and I… I don't want… I don't want to be…"

Botan nodded and said, "There was a time when shadow demons were hunted down to the point of near extinction. They were believed to be too dangerous and a serious threat to humans and demons alike."

Sayomi took in a deep breath and slowly let it go. "Were any of them criminals?"

"Well, I don't really know." Botan's smile didn't reach her eyes. "Any files regarding them are very hard to find. Whatever we do end up finding is not enough information to draw any other conclusion."

"There are files? Do you think Koenma would be willing to let me look at them if I ask?" Sayomi could feel her nails digging into her palms. _If I can read those files, maybe I can figure out what happened back then._

Botan grimaced and said, "I'm afraid not. Koenma has been investigating since I informed him of you. I don't even think King Enma is aware of it. I'm sure if he finds out anything, he'll let us know."

"Yeah…" Sayomi couldn't stop the disappointment from seeping into her tone. "Do you think _you_ could snoop around his archives and try to find something?"

"I don't think that would be a problem. I'm sure he could use the extra eyes." Botan smiled, warming up to the new idea.

"And I guess I could try asking Kurama if he knows anything from his old life."

"That's a brilliant idea!" Botan cheered. "Even if the archives can't tell us much, I'm sure Kurama was around long enough."

"Thank you, Botan. I'm sorry if I came off a bit rude before." Sayomi's smile just barely touched her eyes. "You don't understand how important this is to me."

"Oh it's no problem." Botan waved off her apology. "I don't blame you for being so guarded, especially _now_. Things may be a little tough for a while, but please don't take it too personally. Your brother is the one we're after."

"About that…" Sayomi looked at Botan in the eye and asked, "What did Yasuhiro do?"

As the sun began to set, Botan led Sayomi to Yusuke's homeroom. The halls were empty, but every now and then Sayomi would see a group of kids talking or doing some random activity in a room. _Why would they want to stay later? Isn't this place boring? I thought that was why Yusuke always skipped._

When they made it to Yusuke's classroom, they only found Kuwabara. He was sitting in the back of the room reading a book. Sayomi scanned the room and noticed the same desks that she saw in every other room. Two black rectangles hung on the front and back walls. _This doesn't seem very fun at all…_

Botan marched towards Kuwabara with her hands on her hips and asked, "Where's Yusuke? He _knew_ we were supposed to meet after school."

Without looking away from his book, Kuwabara answered, "These three punks showed up and challenged him to a fight. He was moping around all day and said it was what he needed. He said to tell you hi."

"He _wanted_ to have a fight?!" Botan huffed and crossed her arms. "That's infantile… and _plain reckless!_ "

"Doesn't surprise me, honestly." Sayomi shrugged her shoulders.

"He's probably finished and gone home by now." Kuwabara turned a page in his book, unaffected by Botan's outburst.

"Well, _you'll_ do, I guess." Botan tapped her chin as she came to terms with the situation.

"Whaddya mean by that?" Kuwabara smacked his book down and scowled at the blue-haired reaper.

"Don't worry." Sayomi sighed and leaned against the small square shelves that lined the lower back wall. "I'll relay the message to Yusuke when we finish here."

Botan smiled at Sayomi. "All right. I guess that's a plan." She turned back to Kuwabara. "Lord Koenma needs more information on a sudden outbreak of people exhibiting strange powers."

"More invading demons?" Kuwabara asked worriedly.

Botan raised her finger to correct him. "No, not demons…"

"You don't mean…" Sayomi raised an eyebrow curiously.

" _Humans?!_ " Kuwabara yelled in disbelief.

Sayomi's eyes widened at the thought. _Those punks Kuwabara mentioned… I know Yusuke fights kids all the time, but..._

" _Yeow!_ "

" _Whazzat?!_ "

" _A bird?!_ "

"Eh?" Kuwabara glanced up as the commotion gradually became louder.

"What's all the racket?" Botan asked curiously.

" _Gyack!_ " Kuwabara yelped when he looked through the window.

" _Pu!_ " Botan instantly recognized the small beast.

"Why is he here? Where's Yusuke?" Sayomi could see that Pu was agitated over something. He flapped like his life depended on it. _If Pu is acting out in the open, then it can't be good news._

The students filled the doorway, watching the beast fly towards Sayomi and company. They watched the beast with open curiosity and began to fire off with questions.

"That thing _yours,_ Kuwabara?"

"When did you get a _pet?!_ "

Kuwabara glared at the students and yelled, "It's my new Hover-Beast! Cool, huh? _Now scram!_ " Once the witnesses fled, he turned to the panicked beast. "What's going on, Pu?"

"You'll _disrupt_ the entire school at this rate!" Botan scolded. "Pu?"

Pu made his way to one of the blackboards and grabbed a small stick of white chalk with his beak. He wrote on the board and turned to the trio.

"What?!" Sayomi became tense when she read Pu's message. _Yusuke kidnapped?_

Kuwabara clenched his teeth and took off running down the hall. Botan and Sayomi followed after him with Pu flapping close behind. He led them around to the back of the school. There was a wooden fence with a sign that read "no trespassing." They ignored it and ran through the opening. They ran past the construction until they reached a grassy field. Yusuke's school bag was on the ground with a note.

Kuwabara picked up the note and read it aloud for Botan and Sayomi. "We'll be waiting at 11 P.M. tonight at the Fourth Dimensional Mansion in Monster Town. Bring anyone you like, but the attendance of Kuwabara, Sayomi, Hiei, and Kurama is mandatory. Otherwise, Yusuke Urameshi's safety may be compromised. Yusuke… _kidnapped?_ No way he'd let _that_ happen."

Botan frowned. "They know of Sayomi, Kurama, and Hiei… so maybe they _could_ nab Yusuke."

"And send Pu to us. Okay, it's serious." Kuwabara growled. "But what're they _after?_ "

"Who knows?" Botan brushed off his question and said, "We gotta round up _Kurama_ and _Hiei!_ You know where they are?" She turned to the blue messenger and said, "You go on home, Pu!"

"Pu!" He quickly flapped up and out of sight.

"I've never been to Kurama's school. I can only _guess_ where Hiei could be." Sayomi glared at the note and clenched her fists. _For all I know he could be doing his damn best to avoid me. If Yusuke dies because of him, I'll hunt him down and show him what I'm_ really _capable of._

"Kurama's neighborhood is _two train stops_ from here!" Kuwabara took off running with the note clenched in his fist.

"Wait, Kuwabara!" Botan ran after him. "Don't just leave us behind!"

Sayomi watched them leave as she tried to stop shaking. Images of Yusuke flashed through her mind. Beaten. Bloody. Lifeless.

She inhaled as the gruesome thoughts flitted through her subconscious. When she exhaled, she recalled her dying king back in Demon World. She remembered her old teacher who initially taught her self-control. Then she remembered her mission. _I must watch over him until he is strong enough to inherit the throne. I let his quick growth overshadow my mission and assumed he was strong enough to handle himself. If he dies tonight, it'll be my fault for letting it happen…_

Sayomi relaxed her fists and let the darkness engulf her. She melded with the evening shadows and quickly conformed to Botan's running shadow. She stayed hidden as they arrived at the train station and boarded. It didn't take too long to reach their stop, but Sayomi felt anxious about their time limit. As soon as they left the station, she relinquished herself from Botan's shadow.

"I hate crowds." Sayomi sighed as she followed behind Botan and Kuwabara. "Are we almost there?"

"Where did you—?"

Sayomi sighed again and cut off Kuwabara's question. "If you haven't figured it out yet, then you'll just have to deal with it."

"I was just askin'. We thought we lost you for a while." Kuwabara crossed his arms and said, "I can't sense you or anything so it's even creepier than normal."

"Wait, what?" Sayomi raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean you can't sense me?"

"I think it has to do with Suzuki's weapon. He said it would have side effects so…" He shrugged his shoulders.

"Do you think it's permanent?" Botan asked worriedly.

Kuwabara shook his head. "I don't know. I'm hoping if I go see Genkai soon, she might be able to help."

"Good idea." Sayomi agreed. "But for now let's focus on this. How far are we from Kurama?"

"Oh right!" Kuwabara exclaimed and took off running again. "It's just a few blocks from here!"

They ran until they reached a large building surrounded by a brick wall. Next to the entrance, a white sign read Meio Private High School. Trees grew along the path that led to the doors.

Inside the building, Sayomi noticed the students wearing similar outfits. The boys wore Kurama's usual pink clothing while the girls wore a dark red top and skirt. _So different schools require different clothes? Humans are strange._

Kuwabara rushed through the halls, shouting as loud as he could. " _Kurama! Yo, Kurama! We got big trouble! Kurama!_ "

They stopped when they spotted Kurama standing in the hall with another student. The red-head stepped forward and said, "Quiet! I'm right here."

"Oh, _there_ you are! Been lookin' everywhere!" Kuwabara stopped and pulled the crumbled note from his pocket.

The bespectacled boy next to the red-head blinked. "Kurama? The sumo wrestler?"

"Heh… Just a nickname." Kurama smiled at his classmate before turning a stern glare on Kuwabara. He lowered his voice and whispered, "I'm _Minamino_ here, got it?"

"Sure. Now look at this." Kuwabara gave to note to the red-head. "We gotta find Hiei, _fast!_ You know where he is?"

Kurama finished reading the note and looked up at Kuwabara. "Not a clue, I'm afraid. Though he can't be that far away. We're both still on probation."

"What about _you,_ Sayomi?" Botan turned to the demoness. "You two are pretty close, right?"

Sayomi scowled and crossed her arms. "Not _that_ close. He usually finds _me._ Besides, we're not exactly on good terms at the moment."

Botan growled as she began to get annoyed. "If only he was here, he could use his Evil Eye to…"

"Whoa, Botan! _Focus!_ " Kurama snapped her out of her train of thought.

"No leads, no clues, _no nuthin'!_ " Kuwabara fussed. "What we need is Doraemon!"

"Doraemon? What's _that?_ " Sayomi asked with an arched brow.

" _I know!_ " Botan raised a finger in triumph. " _The Underworld tools!_ "

"That stuff Urameshi had when he fought Goki? Aren't they all busted up…?" Kuwabara asked.

"You know about Goki?" Sayomi asked curiously.

"Sure," Kuwabara shrugged. "After the stuff with the Four Beasts, I asked Urameshi about his other missions."

"Cool." Sayomi turned to Botan. "And Yusuke broke all the tools?"

"They've been fixed up good as new in the Underworld. _Better_ even!" Botan smiled as she launched into explaining each tool. "For instance, no demon can hide from the new and improved _demonic aura-meter!_ "

"But…" Kurama interjected. "How will we be able to tell which is Hiei?"

"Kurama, the voice of reason…" Sayomi muttered under her breath.

"Oh…" Botan cheerfully explained, "That's _no problem!_ We just put something of his inside it… Say a hair or a fingernail… and it'll direct us _right to him,_ no matter how far away he might be!"

"And how do you propose we get this… item?" Kurama asked.

"Oh, yeah…" Botan's cheer deflated. "We'll scour the area with the _see-through glass…_ "

"We have _five hours,_ not five centuries!" Kuwabara growled in annoyance. "Anything else we can use?"

"Umm… Well…" Botan scratched her head, trying to think of something.

"Sayomi," Kurama turned to the shadow demoness. "You mentioned earlier that he usually finds you, correct?" When Sayomi nodded, Kurama turned back to Botan. "Is there a tool that could bring him to _us?_ "

"Ah!" Botan perked up. " _The Itako Whistle!_ It emits a sound normal humans can't hear. The stronger your aura, the farther its sound will travel."

"So where are these tools?" Sayomi asked.

"Right, I'll need to get them from the Underworld." Botan turned to Kurama and asked, "Where should we meet up?"

"There's a park not too far from here. It's already dark out so there shouldn't be many people." Kurama led the way to exit the school. "From there we can make our way to the house in time."

"Very well, see you guys soon!" As soon as she was out the door, she flew off to the Underworld.

About half an hour later, Sayomi and the boys made it to the park. She sat on a swing and began to slowly kick her legs forward. Kuwabara sat on the swing next to hers and just swayed back and forth with his feet on the ground. Kurama leaned against a pole with his hands in his pockets.

"So, you and the shrimp aren't on speaking terms anymore?" Kuwabara asked curiously.

Sayomi glared up at the moon as she swung higher. "Nope. Since I'm not gonna be fighting anymore, then he doesn't have to train me anymore. So why else would he stick around?"

"Well, I still think it's better that you're not fighting." Kuwabara replied. "Girls shouldn't really be fighting in the first place."

"Not this again." Sayomi huffed under her breath. "I'd rather fight than let others fight for me, Kuwabara. If Koenma didn't restrict me, then this wouldn't be an issue."

"I was curious about that actually." Kurama watched as Sayomi swung until she was almost parallel with the ground. "If the point of getting stronger is to be in control, why would he ban you from training?"

"I was actually hoping you could answer some questions for me, too." Sayomi stopped swinging her legs and just enjoyed the motion. "When you were the Fox Demon, did you know any shadow demons?"

Kurama smiled and said, "I'll answer yours if you answer mine."

"That's fair." Sayomi stared up at the moon again. "From what I can tell, these marks started appearing when I came here and started fighting. They started off small, but before I knew it, I was covered in them. Now Koenma wants me to stop fighting so I don't get worse."

"I see. So it acts as a kind of warning." Kurama pondered on it before answering her question. "As for the fox demon, I don't recall any shadow demon acquaintances. I only heard rumors and they were not exactly demons you wanted to mess with."

"What were the rumors?" Kuwabara asked.

"Shadow demons were known to be ruthless. They were usually thieves, assassins, or info brokers." Kurama held his chin as his thoughts took him to a different place and time. "While I never personally knew any, I would hear stories of their nightmarish abilities. They were powerful, but they were also few in number. None of them traveled in larger groups than two or three." He turned to Sayomi and said, "You mentioned a Void before. Can you elaborate?"

"I can't really tell you much. It's just something I was taught at a young age." Sayomi gradually lost momentum in her swing, but she still kept her eyes on the moon. "My brother said it was something all shadow demons used to control shadows. Without it, we were powerless. Too much of it and it would overpower us. So shadow demons who strayed away from the power would die because they were too weak. Others who fought to become stronger to survive would lose themselves in the Void. No one knows why it's like that, but there doesn't seem to be any safe medium."

"So you're doomed either way." Kuwabara muttered.

"What did you do before you came here?" Kurama asked.

"I just meditated all the time. I also practiced healing, but I've been doing that here too." Sayomi looked at Kurama and shrugged her shoulders. "I was hoping the healing would balance out with the fighting and the markings would diminish, but that didn't happen. At best, it slowed down but it didn't go away."

Kurama smiled and said, "Shadow demons are an interesting breed, but they're also very secretive. Even if I knew any, I doubt they would've shown me much."

"Probably…" Sayomi sighed. "I just wish I knew more. I don't really know what I'm doing. For all I know, I could be running myself into an early grave."

"You think if you stop fighting, they'll go away?" Kuwabara asked.

"Maybe." Sayomi shrugged. "I remember a point when my brother had these marks, but in my meditations, he doesn't seem to have them anymore."

"Your brother?" Kurama perked up at the mention. "He's the one Koenma said was a criminal, right?"

"Yeah, but Yasuhiro said he was accused." Sayomi defended him on reflex. "He told me to find out the truth from the Underworld, but I don't really know where to start. I was hoping you could give me some kind of lead."

"I apologize for my ignorance, but I'm afraid I can't help you much. Even back then, shadow demons were a mysterious bunch." Kurama's smile didn't reach his eyes.

Sayomi sighed. "It's okay. Every little bit helps."

"Your brother won't tell you anything if you ask?" Kuwabara asked.

"He said I wouldn't believe him." Sayomi glared down at her dirty feet. "I can see what Kurama means about being so secretive. Even to our own blood…"

Kurama and Kuwabara exchanged glances over Sayomi's head. Kuwabara looked worried while Kurama looked disturbed. A moment of silence passed before Botan flew in on her oar.

She was still in her school uniform and she carried a large silver briefcase. She kneeled down on the grass and opened it for everyone to see. "I've brought the whole set, just in case."

Kurama looked at Botan and said, "I'd love to give them all a try, but Hiei's our first priority."

"The _whistle,_ then!" Botan grabbed the whistle and stood up. She raised her hand. "Stand back! Cover your ears. This thing's _loud!_ "

Sayomi covered her ears just as Botan took in a deep breath. The effort was futile. The shrill noise bled through her hands and seeped into her skull. Memories of Shishiwakamaru's banshees played through her mind as she squeezed her eyes shut. "Gahh! What the hell?!"

"Wow! She _wasn't_ kidding!" Kurama looked just as pained as he pressed his hands against his ears.

"I didn't hear nuthin'." Kuwabara released his ears as the sound didn't seem to affect him.

"Lucky you." Sayomi scowled. "Being powerless sounds pretty preferable after _that_ noise."

Botan looked around urgently, scanning for any sign of Hiei. Just as Sayomi was about to scan for the fire demon, she saw him fall from a tree just behind Botan.

Hiei sat up from the ground and rubbed the back of his head where he landed. " _That wail!_ Who's dying?"

" _Hiei!_ " Botan exclaimed in relief.

"What's he, a beetle?" Kuwabara grumbled.

Sayomi couldn't stop from smiling when she saw the swordsman. _He actually came… Are his sleeves white?_

When Hiei noticed them and stood up, he sneered and said, "You guys again… Hmph! Bad enough I can't return to the Demon Plane."

"Look…" Kurama stepped forward and handed him the note.

After reading, Hiei scoffed. "Well… Serves him right. Getting full of himself after beating Toguro. He can stew in his own ego in the afterlife."

"Like _you're_ one to talk about big egos." Sayomi met Hiei's glare with her own.

"You aren't curious about who captured him?" Kurama asked.

"Why?" Hiei ignored Sayomi and looked up at Kurama. "It's got nothing to do with me." Ignoring everyone's confusion and disapproval, he turned on his foot and began to walk away. "You don't like it? Too bad. I do what I want, when I want."

"Hey!" Botan yelled after the thief. "They might _kill Yusuke_ if you don't come with us! You really don't care _at all_ about that?!"

"No I _don't!_ " Hiei stopped and glared coldly at Botan, scaring her into silence. "He takes down the ultimate demon warrior, then gets captured by a buncha _humans!_ That's beyond stupid! I can't stand babysitting idiots."

"What if this wasn't just about Yusuke?" Kurama asked, catching Hiei's attention. "Botan, Kuwabara and Sayomi told me some humans have been displaying strange powers lately."

"And some of _these_ captured Yusuke?" Hiei asked with feigned interest.

"How about this?" Botan huffed. "If you'll help, the Underworld will wipe your slate clean."

"You sure about that?" Kuwabara asked with open concern.

"I'll _see_ to it!" Botan stated confidently then turned back to Hiei. "Well?"

"Full acquittal, huh? Fine, I'll come." Hiei smirked and followed after the group.

Sayomi kept her pace with him in the back out of habit. She snuck glimpses of him every now and again until he spoke up. "If you have something to say, then out with it."

"Do you really not care about Yusuke?" Sayomi couldn't bring herself to talk about her more personal concerns. _I doubt he would understand anyways. I still don't fully understand it myself…_

"No. If he dies then it's his own fault for allowing it to happen. He should've known by now it's kill or be killed." Hiei kept his eyes forward, not sparing her a single glance. "If you don't like it, that's not my problem. Once this is over, I'll be free to return to the Demon Plane."

"And that's really all you care about…" Sayomi looked at Hiei. "Never mind the fact that Yusuke wouldn't think twice about helping you."

"Yusuke is strong but he is a fool for letting his guard down. I would not be so easily captured by humans."

"You keep pointing out Yusuke's faults, but don't you think you have those same qualities that you're putting him down for?" Sayomi's eyebrows drew down into a stern glare. "The big egos, the overconfidence… If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were two peas in a pod."

"What the hell are you blathering about?" Hiei glared at Sayomi dangerously but she only smirked at his attempt to intimidate her.

"It's a human phrase that I overheard. Apparently it means you two are a lot alike. It kinda shows in the way you both act tough on the outside, yet on the inside you both actually care for the people around you."

"I _don't_ care about any of you. I only showed up because of that vile noise. If I had known it was _you,_ I wouldn't have bothered."

"Couldn't you have been able to tell with your Evil Eye or by sensing our auras?" Sayomi quirked an eyebrow teasingly. "Your excuses are just that, Hiei. Yukina may not be here, but you do care for us too. Maybe not as much, but it's still there."

"If you don't shut up with this nonsense, I will prove to you personally how little I care."

"But not until this is over, right?"

Hiei stopped walking and grabbed Sayomi's wrist, pulling her around to face him. He tightened his grip and lowered his voice. "I could take care of it _before_ it starts if _that_ is what you prefer."

Sayomi gasped as she came face-to-face with Hiei. She felt her face heat up as she realized how close they were. His blood red eyes put her in a sort of trance. Despite the intensity of his gaze, she wasn't scared. When she spoke, it was just barely above a whisper. "Why are you trying to scare me away, Hiei?"

Hiei's glare didn't waver, but he released his hold on her wrist and walked past her. "Just stay out of my way."

Sayomi watched him for just a moment before trailing after him. She couldn't look away from his back as they walked to the house. _Hiei… Why are you so insistent on isolating yourself?_

Once they made it to the house, Sayomi could feel a headache coming on. All the windows were boarded up and the bordering wall was covered in cracks. The house looked like a mess of odd angles and abstract art work.

"This is it," Kuwabara declared. "Pretty strange, huh?"

"That's one word for it…" Sayomi muttered quietly.

"An obscure artist designed and built it, but he died some time ago. It's been vacant ever since," Kurama explained for the group.

"It might not be safe," Kuwabara cautioned. "Maybe us guys should go in first…"

" _No way!_ " Botan protested hotly. "I'm _not_ staying behind! You haven't recovered your aura yet so _I'm_ the only one who can use the tools."

"And you must be delusional if you think _I'm_ just gonna sit out here and wait. I was requested to be here too, remember?" Sayomi glared up at Kuwabara.

"Oh yeah…" Kuwabara avoided her gaze as they made their way up the porch steps. They had to be careful of the rotting wood and holes in the floor. Posted on the door was a plain piece of paper with a note.

Sayomi stepped forward to read it aloud. "Any who enter must not say 'hot'. This is your only warning…"

"Huh?" Kuwabara scowled at the door. "What's the deal here? We can't say 'hot'? That's dumb!"

"Just keep it in mind," Kurama warned. "C'mon, let's go inside…"

As soon as they stepped into the house, Sayomi could instantly feel the contrast in temperature. She looked around at the shelves of books and plants scattered around the room. When she looked up, she saw an odd chandelier made of faces and heads with candles burning from the mouths. The black and white tiles felt cold and slick beneath her feet. "Well, at least it looks somewhat nicer on the inside."

"Whew!" Botan heaved a big sigh. "It sure is humid and h—"

Kurama quickly clapped his hand over Botan's mouth. "Say no more, please."

" _Hmph!_ " Botan mumbled beneath his hand before he let go.

"Kurama, did you notice…?" Hiei glanced up at the red-head.

"Yes…" Kurama kept his eyes forward. "As we entered, it was like stepping into another world."

"Welcome."

Sayomi and the others quickly looked forward to see a young boy with glasses step out from behind a bookshelf. He had curly black hair and freckles dusted across his strong cheekbones. _He's wearing the same clothes as Kurama. Do they know each other?_

" _That guy!_ " Kuwabara's eyes popped open and he pointed an accusing finger. " _He's_ one of Yusuke's kidnappers!"

" _Kaito!_ " Kurama instantly recognized the boy.

"Huh?" Kuwabara looked at the red-head in shock. "You _know_ him?!"

"Not really," Kurama answered calmly. "He's just in my grade at school. Whatever he might know of us, he didn't get it from me." He addressed his classmate next. "Who _did_ inform you of us?"

"And why did you kidnap Yusuke?!" Kuwabara interrogated angrily.

Kaito pushed up his glasses with his index finger and said, "Someone came to us and said you guys won some sort of competition… The Dark Tournament, I believe it was." He took a seat at a desk and he leaned back into the chair. "I didn't realize you were smart _and_ powerful, Minamino. Would you show me how you control plants?"

Without a word, Kurama stared at Kaito with dangerous eyes.

"Ooh… _Fierce!_ " Kaito smirked. "Yet always so _mild_ in school. Anyway, I recently discovered that I have this weird ability… and I think challenging you will be the best way to reveal its full potential."

"I think you will find you've made an unwise decision." Hiei glared at Kaito as he drew his sword from the sheath.

"Perhaps." Unintimidated, Kaito began to read a book that he had tucked under his arm. "But perhaps not."

" _Shut up!_ " Hiei quickly jumped and brought his sword down on the teen. A loud ring of metal echoed through the room as Hiei's blade snapped in half. His eyes widened as he stared down at his unaffected target. " _Huh?_ "

Sayomi and the others tried to register what exactly happened. _Was it a barrier?_

"See?" Kaito glanced up from his book to look down at Hiei.

Hiei held his broken sword and glared at the human. "Okay, what's this about? This sword snapped in two… on nothing."

" _Words_ are the only weapons that can be used in this room. That's _my rule,_ and you must obey it."

"Your rule…" Kurama mused. "As posted on the door."

"Right." Kaito closed his book and set it down on the desk. "That's my ability, to create a weird kind of 'space' around me. Violence of any kind has no effect here. As you've seen. Hiei, was it? I've been told you're a master of the sword. Well, in here you're just another _height-challenged punk._ "

"Steady, Hiei! He's _baiting_ you!" Kurama warned. " _Hiei!_ "

Ignoring Kurama, the swordsman stepped forward and said, "By _your_ rule, then, I can't say 'hot'? What happens if I _do_ say 'hot'? I drop dead on the spot?"

"Damn it, Hiei! You _idiot!_ " Sayomi growled in frustration.

"Well… it's like this…" Kaito watched as Hiei became engulfed by a mystical violet flame. He stood motionless and silent as the flame rose from his body and shot across the room to Kaito's hand.

" _Hiei?!_ " Kurama called out to his teammate but there was no answer.

Sayomi rushed around to face him and gasped when she noticed his vacant expression. "Oh no…" She turned around to glare at Kaito. "What did you do?!"

Kaito smirked and answered, "When you say the forbidden word in here… your _soul_ gets _sucked_ from your body. That makes _two_ hostages for us." He raised his hand to show the sphere of purple flames. "Urameshi is on the second floor… and I now have Hiei's soul right here. How about the rest of you? Will you turn back… or fight?"


	36. Chapter 36

Hiei stood still as a statue. His eyes were empty and his skin was cold to the touch. Sayomi clenched her teeth and glared at Kaito. "What did you do?!"

Holding up Hiei's soul, Kaito calmly answered, "Say the _forbidden word_ inside my territory… and your _soul_ gets sucked out. Doesn't matter how powerful you are…" He pushed up his glasses and said, "I became aware of this ability about a month ago, and set out to understand its effects. I can create a peculiar 'space' around me, and so can my friends. We call them 'territories.' Mine has a maximum radius of 10M. You may leave or enter as you like. Those with a sixth sense, though, feel uneasy when they set foot inside it. And those are pretty much the parameters."

"So if we win, Hiei's soul will be restored?" Kurama asked.

Kaito looked down at the purple flame in his hand. "I don't know what will happen. I've never lost." He looked up at Kurama as he adjusted his frames. Kurama returned the stare. "So will you leave or fight? No pressure. It's entirely up to you."

" _Hah!_ There's _another option!_ " Kuwabara declared. He pumped his fist and said, "We _leave Hiei_ to stew and go on! That's _my_ choice!"

" _Huh?!_ " Botan reeled on the boy and yelled, "You want to leave him _like this?!_ "

"You _bet_ I do!" Kuwabara stuffed his hands in his pockets and scowled. " _It's his fault!_ He puffed himself up and said the taboo word right to that guy's face. He _deserves_ to be stuck here."

Sayomi listened to Kuwabara's reasoning then looked at Hiei's soulless body. _He does make a good point…_

"I agree," Kaito said. "That's the best option. You're smarter than you look."

" _You_ can just shut up!" Kuwabara growled.

"Coming through, then?"

"Who said that?" Sayomi and the others looked down the hallway just past Kaito. There was another teenage boy standing in front of a door with an abstract pattern. He wore baggy clothes similar to Kuwabara's and he was chewing gum. Half of his purple hair was braided tightly around his head while the rest stood straight up.

Kaito slid a glance over to his comrade and said, "That's the only way forward and he's got the key."

Kuwabara stomped towards the newcomer and towered over him with a menacing glare. "Gimme the key and step aside."

"No thanks." The boy blew a bubble until it popped. He smirked and held up the key. "Why don'tcha _take_ it from me, Kuwa-Baby?"

Sayomi ducked her head as she quietly laughed at the name. _Heh heh, sorry Kuwabara. That one was kinda funny…_

Kuwabara twitched and he pulled back his fist. " _I'll do just that!_ " Before his punch could land, an invisible barrier stopped Kuwabara's assault. He reeled back his aching fist instantly. " _Eeouch!_ "

"Heh…" The new boy raised a finger and gently poked Kuwabara's forehead. "You seem to forget… violence is verboten in Kaito's territory. You need to go easy, and _think!_ " Kuwabara could only glare in fury as the boy smirked and tucked the key into his breast pocket. "Heh heh…"

"Seems we have no choice. It's _his_ rules, or retreat." Kurama pulled up a chair and took a seat, crossing both his arms and legs. Botan pulled up a chair and sat down with the tool kit in her lap. Kuwabara sat backwards as he rested his head and hugged the back of the chair. Sayomi leaned against the main door with one foot propped up behind her and crossed her arms.

As time ticked on, Sayomi could feel the tension in the room. The silence dragged until Kuwabara threw up his hands and said, "Argh! I can't _stand_ just sitting here! _It's driving me nuts!_ " He turned to Kurama and asked, "Can't _you_ think of a way to _beat him,_ Kurama?!"

"And get us through that door? Hmm… Maybe."

"Really? _How?!_ "

Kurama turned his attention to the flame in Kaito's palm. "We'd have to get Hiei's soul back first."

"Why? What _for?_ " Kuwabara groaned.

"He may be a pain sometimes, but he's still part of the team." Sayomi arched a brow and asked, "Would you still call yourself a man if you left one of your teammates to perish? Would you still see yourself as better than Seiryu or Risho?"

Kuwabara opened his mouth and shut it a couple times before he frowned and slumped back into his chair. Sweat glistened on his skin as he clenched his teeth and turned his annoyed glare towards Kaito.

Botan sighed as she fanned herself with her hand. Sayomi stole a glance of Kurama and Kaito. Despite the obvious heat, the two intellectuals seemed just fine. She fought the urge to cover up with her hood. _It could show weakness. If anything, I can handle the heat. It's just the damn_ humidity…

"At least let's _discuss_ stuff," Kuwabara groaned. "We just won't say… y'know, _that_ word!" He pointed at Kaito and said, "So Kurama, this dude here… what's he like anyway?"

Without taking his eyes off his classmate, Kurama answered. "He's Yu Kaito. We're in the same class, but he's the quiet type. I've never seen him hang out with anybody. He's always been known to have an exceptionally high IQ. He may be the smartest student the school's ever known."

"You know better than that, Kurama." Without looking up from his book, Kaito said, "Your combined exam scores always exceed mine."

"But you excel in the humanities, Kaito." Kurama continued. "He's already published several philosophical papers and books of literary criticism. He's a rising star among the literati, a specialist of the written word."

"A literary prodigy, eh?" Kuwabara grunted. "Guess y'can't judge by appearances."

"Thanks," Kaito replied.

"Man, it's freakin' _steamy_ in here!" Kuwabara wiped the sweat from his chin to emphasize his claim. "That yer way of gettin' us to say you-know-what?"

"80 degrees F, 80% humidity… for my tropical plants. Rough for anyone not used to it." Kaito looked back down at his book and said, "There're drinks in the fridge if you're thirsty. Glasses are in the cabinet."

Kuwabara stood up from his seat. "Laced with _poison_ or _truth serum,_ I bet! _You_ drink first, pal."

"Truth serum… hadn't thought of that." Kaito looked up from his book as he pondered over the idea. Then he smiled and pointed at Kuwabara. "Darn clever, guy."

Gritting his teeth, Kuwabara grumbled, "Don't sound so _surprised_ about it!"

Botan took the chance to get up from her chair. "I'll fetch them. Sitting's driving me bonkers, too." She kneeled in front of the small fridge to check its contents. "Wow, all kinds of beverages!" She looked back at the group and asked, "How about orange juice, guys?"

"Sure," Kuwabara accepted eagerly.

"That'll be fine," Kurama smiled.

"Never tried it, but it sounds good," Sayomi nodded.

Kuwabara held up a finger and said, "Two shots, with ice, in a clear glass, and a straw if there are any."

"Want fries with that?" Botan asked sarcastically.

Sayomi smirked until she noticed Kuwabara gasp. She looked at the teen and saw a bright orange flame surrounding his body, much like Hiei before.

" _What?!_ " Botan gasped and got to her feet.

"Two down," Kaito mumbled.

The orange flame surrounding Kuwabara burst from his body and landed in Kaito's hand. Kuwabara's body remained still, frozen in shock.

"What's this?!" Kurama racked his brain for an explanation.

"Hey four-eyes!" Botan yelled and pointed an accusing finger. "Kuwabara _didn't_ say 'hot'!"

Kurama turned to the reaper. "Um…"

Sayomi slapped her forehead with her palm. _Damn it, Botan!_

" _Oops!_ " Botan laughed nervously and covered her mouth. "Nerts!" Then a pale blue flame engulfed Botan and flew to Kaito's hand.

Sayomi clenched her fists and kicked off from the door. She glared down at Kaito as she slowly walked forward. "What did you do? Botan I can understand, but why did you target Kuwabara? He didn't say the word."

"The thing about my taboo is…" Kaito pushed up his glasses and looked up at her, unfazed by her anger. "…It's very strict, and most unyielding. Simply expressing 'H,' 'O,' and 'T' right in a row is enough. I didn't think that up, it's just how it is."

"Likely excuse." Sayomi narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"Believe what you want," Kaito replied without worry.

"Let's see…" Kurama pondered out loud. "…Kuwabara's mistake was…"

Sayomi glanced at Kurama before glaring back at Kaito. _So H, O, and T, huh? Botan asked if we wanted juice. Kuwabara went off on a short list of things. Let's see, he said something about two_ shots, _with ice, in a… Oh… damn…_ Her eyes widened as she began to piece everything together.

"Y'know, souls are really quite pretty." Kaito stared down at the three colored flames in his hand. "The girl's color is especially nice. The soul is the one thing no one can fortify… it's vital, yet so very fragile. A little squeeze can crush it… and not just a physical one. Our doubts and insecurities are its greatest enemies." He looked up and locked eyes with Kurama. "If I scratched one… what do you suppose would happen?"

Before Sayomi could speak, Kurama leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands together in front of his chest. "Try it, if you like. But that would violate _my_ taboo." He extended a single index finger to point at Kaito. His eyes, though still green, reminded Sayomi of the Fox Demon. "You harm those souls, in any way… and you will not live. _Those are my parameters._ "

"Well…" Kaito adjusted his frames. "…I do believe you're showing your true face."

"That's not all I'll show." Kurama held up a familiar key.

 _When did he…?_ Sayomi's eyebrows creased in confusion.

" _Huh?!_ Is that…" Kaito quickly got to his feet and checked his pockets. "…the _key_ to the door?!"

"No! _Can't_ be!" Sayomi looked down the hall. She saw Kaito's accomplice pat down his own pockets. " _How'd he get it?!_ Whuh?!" He looked up at the ceiling when he noticed vines hanging down above him.

"You never noticed, did you?" Kurama crossed his arms, tucking the key away. "A simple trick, really, and quite painless." Sayomi stepped back when the greenery in the room sprouted behind the fox. "Nice to know I can still do my thing, even by your rules."

"He controls plants, and had one _pick my pocket!_ " The young boy perspired nervously.

"Take good care of their souls. Because I _will_ take them back." Without relaxing his glare, Kurama continued. "So tell me… could you change your taboo if you wished? I'll not break yours… nor will you break mine, however long we may sit here."

Kaito sat down in his chair and laced his fingers in front of his face. "Of course I can change my taboo. It was always my intention to take things to a more advanced level once you were the last one left." He glanced at Sayomi. "Though it is a little sooner than planned."

"Need I remind you of your own comrade in the room?" Kurama pointed at Kaito, as if aiming a gun at him. "If you'll let me choose a _mutual_ taboo, I'll guarantee to make you say it within 26 minutes."

"Oh?" Kaito stroked his chin as he mulled over the proposal. "And if I _don't_ say it within that time?"

Kurama locked eyes with Kaito for a solid minute before he spoke. "You may have both of our souls."

Sayomi shifted her eyes from Kurama to Kaito and back respectively. When Kurama finished speaking, she could feel the heat drain from her body. _Ah damn. Kurama, I hope you know what you're doing…_

"The point is, the matter will be settled!" Kurama explained for all parties. "Whichever of us says the taboo loses, but if time runs out you're the winner by default. Are we agreed? Or don't you trust the terms?"

Kaito took more time to think over Kurama's terms. Meanwhile, Sayomi tried to figure out Kurama's plan. _If he guarantees it, then it can't fail, right? But betting_ my _soul too really puts me on edge._

"Very well, we are agreed!" Kaito pointed at Kurama and asked, "What taboo do you propose?"

Kurama calmly explained the rules. "It consists of one letter, to which, each minute, another will be added. The first will be 'Z'. After that 'Y,' and then 'X'… and so on, in descending alphabetical order. Putting it another way, the letters we can say will vanish, one after the other, until all 26 letters are gone."

"Ha ha ha!" Kaito laughed and smiled at Kurama like an old friend. "A clever scheme and a worthy challenge." He glanced at the clock behind him. "It's now 12:50 AM. Let's start at 1:00 AM on the dot."

"Sayomi."

The demoness turned to the red-head curiously. "Yeah?"

Without taking his eyes off Kaito, Kurama said, "I want to apologize for waging your soul as well, but time is of the essence. I will advise you to refrain from speaking from this point forward."

Sayomi opened her mouth to ask a question, then closed it and nodded. _If I risk speaking the wrong thing at the wrong time, then I_ really will _lose my soul. I won't have a problem staying quiet, but neither of us are telepathic. What if something happens and I can't warn him?_

When the clock struck one, Kaito pulled out a sheet of paper and the letters of the alphabet appeared in black ink. " _We begin!_ " Seconds ticked by before Kaito said, "Our conversational options will diminish minute by minute."

Kurama stared without speaking. Sayomi glared at the smug boy. _He's showing off…_

"Heh…" Kaito smirked as a minute ticked by and a red X crossed over the letter Z. He leaned over the table and pointed at Kurama. "So much for the last letter of the alphabet… and 'Y' is next to go. We should say 'Y' now while we still may. I just used it four times."

Kurama smiled a friendly smile and said, "I had no idea you could be so chatty. There… that's twice for me. Just don't get too eager to prove something."

"Don't worry." Kaito smiled with pride. "Words are my forte."

A few more minutes ticked by. Y, X, and W were crossed out on the list.

"So it goes." Kaito stared down at the letters in wonder. "Interesting that talk is still possible missing these letters."

"It's about to get a lot trickier," Kurama warned.

Letters V, U, and T followed shortly after.

Kaito adjusted his glasses, putting his thoughts in order. "I am, I see, less glib."

"As am I," Kurama replied.

Kaito stood up from his seat, catching Kurama's attention. "Going?"

"Need a break." Kaito made his way to the hall and opened another door. He pointed at his friend and said, "No speaking, hear me?"

Once Kaito shut the other door, Sayomi saw Kurama take immediate action. He smiled at her and put a finger to his lips. She saw the plants in the room grow at a surprising rate around her. Within a few minutes, the room was entangled with tropical greenery. Sayomi looked back towards Kurama and found his chair empty.

 _Where did he go?_ She looked at her friends' souls left floating on the table. _Is it really okay to just leave them here? Maybe he's got something planned. Should I hide too? Or does he want me to do something else? Man, I never thought I would miss Hiei's telepathy._

She heard a loud thud down the hallway followed by a toilet flush. _Oh crap!_ Sayomi quickly engulfed herself in her aura and maneuvered through the shadows in the room.

She could hear the door slam open and rushed footsteps, but no other sound was made. _What made that loud sound anyway? It came from the hallway… does it have to do with that other human?_

Sayomi continued to listen as Kaito's footsteps brought him into the thick of the small jungle. He walked until he was back at the table. Sayomi resisted the urge to manifest too soon. _How much longer? Please make your move soon, Kurama!_

Kaito stayed at the center of the room, taking nervous steps as he stayed alert of his surroundings. He listened and watched for movement in the brush. He perspired as the challenge drew close to its end.

Sayomi could almost feel his anticipation to win against his academic rival. _Any minute now, Kurama…_

Time seemed to drag on as the only sound of the ticking clock echoed in the room. Every few seconds felt painfully slow as Sayomi lost track of the actual time. Just as she was about to manifest in front of Kaito, she was shocked out of her thoughts by a loud yell.

" _A!_ "

Sayomi felt relief that soon slipped into worry. _I'm glad I'm still a shadow. Can't make a sound without a physical body. Uh-oh… He didn't scream or anything? He must_ really _want to beat Kurama._

"Pfft… _Ha ha ha ha ha! Ha… Aw crap!_ "

Sayomi solidified in time to see a yellow flame leave Kaito's body. He fell back, frozen mid-laugh and pointing up at something. She looked up and saw Kurama smile and wink at her. The plants in the room quickly receded back to normal and Kurama jumped down from the chandelier. He took a seat in his chair and said, "You did well, Sayomi."

" _Whoa!_ " Botan exclaimed.

"We're body _and_ soul again!" Kuwabara stared at his hands in wonder.

"Yep. And Kaito's territory is gone," Kurama confirmed.

" _Kurama!_ "

" _Sayomi!_ "

Sayomi couldn't stop smiling at her rescued friends. "You guys missed out! Although, I kinda missed some of the end. Probably a good thing." She smirked down at Kaito's body, his soul floating above his chest.

"So he got the giggles and lost his soul, huh? What a moron." Kuwabara rubbed the back of his hand across his chin. "Nailed by his own talent. Dunno how you did it, Kurama, but nice work."

Kurama smiled and said, "In such a contest, trying to _avoid_ the taboo is the best way to trip up."

Botan looked down at the frozen teen in curiosity. "Wonder what was so funny?"

Kuwabara looked down at Kaito and his face became slightly pale. "Yeah… Did you pull a goony face or something, Kurama?"

Kurama rested his head against his open hand and wagged his finger with a glint in his eye. "That is a trade secret."

Sayomi smirked when she saw Hiei looking at anything except the group. She walked up to him and crossed her arms. "So how did it feel to be the first to purposely get caught by a human?"

"Hn." Hiei turned away from her and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"awww, come on," Sayomi teased. "I even told you how similar you were to Yusuke."

"Stop comparing me to the detective," Hiei snapped.

Sayomi sighed and glared at the fire demon's back. "I don't mean anything bad by it."

"I don't _care_ what you _mean._ " Hiei turned back to return her glare. "I told you to stay out of my sight. Do I need to restrict you from speaking to me as well?"

"Hiei!" Botan scolded the fire demon. "There's no need to speak to Sayomi like that! I thought you two were good friends."

"I don't _need_ friends." Hiei aimed his glare at the reaper, silencing her protests. "I'm just here to earn my freedom. After that, the rest of you can perish for all I care."

"I _told you guys_ we shoulda just left him behind!" Kuwabara glared down at the swordsman. "Listen short-stuff, if it weren't for _us,_ you'd still be in that wordy nerd's hand!"

"If I recall, it was Kurama who handled the situation," Hiei countered.

"At least _I_ didn't get captured by humans…" Sayomi replied.

Hiei glared at her. Before he could retort, Kurama interrupted. "That's enough. We need to move forward. I have one key, Kaito should have the other."

Kuwabara kneeled down and searched Kaito's pockets until he found the key. "Got it! Let's go."

They made their way down the hall and saw the other teen passed out on the floor. Sayomi shook her head in pity. _At least he doesn't look hurt. Probably Kurama's plants if I had to guess._

Kurama opened the first door and Kuwabara opened a second door. They were immediately met with a third locked door with a note.

Sayomi sighed. "So there's a _third_ key? Are all human homes this annoying?"

"Let's look for the key first. After that, we can progress forward." Kurama turned back to the main room and began searching.

"Right!" Botan rummaged through her briefcase and pulled out a small, round piece of glass. "The See-Through Glass is _perfect_ for such an occasion!" She held the small glass to her eye and started scanning the walls, shelves, and floorboards.

Kuwabara looked through the cabinets and brushed his hands along the high shelves. Hiei walked around the room with his eyes closed, but Sayomi could see the faint glow beneath his headband. Kurama rummaged through the plotted plants, digging through the soil and checking the leaves. Sayomi searched the bathroom and came up empty.

"I can't find anything," Botan said worriedly.

"Me either. Are we _sure_ there's a third key?" Kuwabara asked. "Maybe it's another trap."

"Let's wake our sleeping friend," Kurama suggested. "If it's not in this room, then he should know where to find it."

They walked back to the unconscious teen and Sayomi nudged him with her foot. "Hey, wake up."

"Unh! Uh…" The boy groaned and opened his eyes. He looked up and saw Sayomi and the others looming over him.

"How are you feeling?" Kurama asked.

The boy sat up and smirked. "You beat Kaito, I presume. Too tricky for his own good, eh?"

"Where's the third key?" Kurama skipped straight to the point.

Botan glared and said, "We found the second key on Kaito, but we couldn't find the third one even with the See-Through Glass."

"Naturally." He pointed behind them and chuckled. "It's buried under the tree outside. Good thing you didn't _force_ this door open… It wouldn't have gone well for Urameshi."

"Harm him and see what happens," Sayomi warned.

Kurama held up the note and said, "This sign was on the door… 'Open without Yanagisawa's permission and Urameshi dies."

"The guy who built this place was bats," Kuwabara commented. "A foyer with _three_ doors? Sheesh!"

Yanagisawa got to his feet and Kuwabara followed him outside. When they came back with the key, the third door was opened. They were immediately faced with another mind-bending obstacle.

"Aw, cripes!" Kuwabara exclaimed. "Three doors, then _seven stairways?!_ "

"Urameshi's on the second floor," Yanagisawa told the group. "Question is, which of these stairways goes up there?"

"Just one will, I take it," Kurama replied.

"Did I say that?" Yanagisawa smirked. "Doesn't matter, really. You still have to choose."

"Hold on a sec!" Botan raised her finger to stop everyone. She opened her briefcase and pulled out a round sticker with small souls floating around the border. " _Underworld Tools 5: Tracking Stickers! (Stack of 100!)_ They're a modification of the tattoo stamps we use when arresting criminals. Only the person who sticks it on can peel it off. It will come off by itself only if that person dies. The color changes with his or her condition. Blue: normal. Yellow: minor wound. Red: major wound."

"So if we put our names on them and stick them on each other, we'll each have a way of knowing if anything's happened to anyone else." Kurama looked up at Yanagisawa for permission to use the stickers.

The teen closed his eyes and said, "I'm fine with that."

Botan pulled out a marker and passed out stickers for everyone. Once they had their names written, they proceeded with placing them on each other. Sayomi smirked when she noticed Hiei's annoyed expression.

"Hmph…" Hiei glared down at the blue stickers on his chest.

"Okay, we're all blue," Botan observed.

"So who's taking what set of stairs?" Sayomi asked.

"I'll take this one." Kuwabara claimed the orange stairway.

"And me… this one." Botan chose the pink stairs.

"Be careful everyone…" Kurama stood in front of the green stairs.

Hiei silently walked to the blue stairway and Sayomi chose the purple. "See you guys upstairs."

As Sayomi ascended the stairs, the hallway became pitch black. The only lights to guide her steps were the neon purple lights outlining the stairs. She arched her brow and said, "Whoever built this home must have been a very peculiar human."

As she climbed, she noticed the steps gradually became smaller and smaller until it was a smooth ascending slope. Sayomi had to use her hands and feet to climb up the steep angle. "I wonder if the others are having better luck with their climb… Huh?"

She quickly looked to the side and noticed another lit pathway. She turned to the other side to see another. "Oh great… I should be okay so long as I don't stray from this path, right? How much more do I have to climb anyways?"

She climbed for what felt like an hour until she bumped her head against an invisible wall. "Ow… What the hell? Don't tell me I somehow took the wrong path!"

She raised a hand to feel the black wall and she carefully got to her feet. She leaned forward to keep from falling back and she groped the wall with her hands. "Please…"

When she found a round knob, she grinned. "Yes!" She opened the door and stepped into a large room. She immediately saw Yusuke standing still with his fists raised in front of a large lamp. A third kidnapper stood in front of him without worry. Then, four other doors opened to her left. Hiei, Kuwabara, Botan, and Kurama had made it to the top.

" _Yusuke?!_ " Botan called in worry.

" _Guys!_ " Yusuke yelled in relief.

"Here we go," The kidnapper muttered. He had short, bleached blond hair and dark circles under his eyes, making him look tired. He wore a black school uniform, but his white undershirt was untucked and it hung low under his jacket.

Kuwabara pointed at Yusuke and said, "You're just _standing_ there? We thought you'd been _captured!_ "

" _I have been!_ " Yusuke yelled angrily. "And _stay_ where you are! He can freeze anyone by stepping on his or her shadow!"

"What?!" Sayomi glared at Yusuke's abductor. _A human with a shadow technique? Why didn't I think of that?_

"That's right…" the kidnapper confirmed. "But to be frank, that's the least of your worries."

"Whaddya mean?" Kuwabara asked.

"Mr. Urameshi…" The boy pointed a thumb at Sayomi and the others. "One of your friends here is a _fake._ "

"What…?" Yusuke looked at his friends in shock.

"You have ten minutes to figure out which one. They, however, are not allowed to speak except to answer your questions."

"A _fake?!_ " Kuwabara reeled. "Are you on somethin'?!"

"Who could put on a _disguise_ that _quickly?_ " Botan protested.

"You just heard the rules," The teen calmly warned. "Don't you care what happens to the hostage? Y'see, to present one of you as a fake means that the real one is not here, but with a colleague of mine who might take exception to any attack on me."

"So this was all pre-planned," Kurama concluded.

"Nine more minutes." The kidnapper looked down at his wristwatch. "Are you in or not?"

"You say one of _them's_ a fake?!" Yusuke questioned. "They all look real to me!"

"Eight minutes, 30 seconds."

" _Kuwabara!_ " Yusuke yelled on reflex. "What's your _birthday_ and _blood type?!_ "

"Mine?" Kuwabara pointed at himself then said, "Don't be _stupid!_ You've never asked me what they are!"

"Oh… heh… Right." Yusuke deadpanned.

"Think of something else… _fast!_ " Kuwabara yelled angrily.

"Oh brother…" Sayomi and the others sighed at the duo's exchange.

"Your _sister!_ What's her name?" Yusuke quickly recovered.

"Shizuru. She's 18, likes Bunta Sugawara and Ken Takakura and is way _tougher_ than me."

" _Kurama!_ " Yusuke turned to the red-head. "What's your _mom's_ name?"

"Shiori Minamino, 40 years old. She's getting remarried this fall." Kurama smiled as he talked about his mother.

" _Really?!_ " Yusuke grinned. "That's cool! Invite me to the wedding, okay?"

"Seven minutes," the kidnapper reminded his hostage.

" _Sayomi!_ " Yusuke yelled urgently. "What's your _brother's_ name?"

"Yasuhiro," Sayomi crossed her arms and said, "He's a wanted criminal and I thought he was dead until recently."

" _Botan!_ " Yusuke turned to the reaper and asked, "What d'you _measure?!_ Top to bottom…"

"What kinda question's _that?!_ " Botan yelled. "I've _never_ told you my measurements, moron!"

"Don't lie to me! I _remember!_ " Yusuke protested.

" _Huh?_ You _do?_ " Botan blinked and tapped her chin in thought. "Umm…" She blushed and glared at the delinquent. " _No you don't! And I ain't tellin'!_ "

"Darn…" Yusuke sulked. "You didn't fall for it…"

"Hmph!" Hiei grunted. "This is going nowhere."

"Okay, _Hiei!_ " Yusuke turned to the swordsman. " _Your_ sister! What's _her_ name?!"

Hiei stared at Yusuke for a moment. Then he said, "I don't need to say. You _know_ who she is! _"_

Yusuke glared and clenched his teeth. "He's right, I'm getting _nowhere…_ "

" _What?!_ " Kuwabara looked down at Hiei in shock. "You mean _he_ has a _sister?_ What an _evil-eyed horror_ she must be! Brrrr!"

Hiei glared coldly at Kuwabara and muttered under his breath. "You're so dead…"

"Oh, he wasn't supposed to know…" Botan whispered.

"Shh!" Kurama warned, putting a finger to his lips.

Sayomi sighed and shook her head. _How does she make it through the day?_

" _I wasn't?_ " Kuwabara turned to his friends. "Why? He could have a _dozen_ sisters for all I care!"

"Well…" Kurama stared down at Hiei.

"Don't look at _me!_ " Hiei growled.

Sayomi smirked at Hiei's awkward situation. _You wouldn't be in this situation if you were just honest about it._

 _Shut up, woman…_

"It's… a long story…." Kurama stalled.

"Then _save it!_ " Kuwabara snapped. "You're creeping me out! Who _is_ she?!"

"Five minutes," the kidnapper reminded them.

"I'll tell you later, okay?" Kurama relented.

"You'd _better!_ " Kuwabara warned then turned back to Yusuke. "C'mon, Urameshi! Make a _guess!_ "

"I _can't_ just guess!" Yusuke yelled. "The _stakes_ are _too high!_ "

"Four minutes, 30 seconds…"

"Arrrr…" Yusuke gritted his teeth until he saw Kuwabara. "Eh?"

"Lookie! Lookie!" Kuwabara whispered, pointing at his own chest.

"Those stickers…" Yusuke blinked. "What are they?"

" _Underworld Tools Tracking Stickers!_ " Botan growled in frustration. "You're _supposed_ to know all the tools by sight!"

"Oh yeah…" Yusuke grinned. "That's right."

"Some Underworld Detective _you_ are…" Botan muttered.

Yusuke dropped the jokes and said, "I do know they can only be removed by whoever sticks them on."

"Yeah," Botan pointed at the stickers on her chest. "Each is tuned to the distinct 'aura print' of whichever human or demon handles it. Only that handler can remove it. And there's no way to fake someone's 'aura print.' An impersonator could not remove 'his' or 'her' stickers."

"That's it, Botan!" Yusuke cheered. " _That's_ how we'll expose the fake!"

"Heh…" The kidnapper smirked.

Sayomi reached for her sticker on Kurama's arm as Botan reached for the sticker on her chest. And so everyone reached for their sticker and peeled it free.

"Huh?" Yusuke blinked in confusion. "You _all_ did it!"

" _But how?!_ " Botan asked, bewildered by the impossible. "One of us _shouldn't_ be able to!"

"Which means there's no fake." Hiei glared at the boy. "It's all a _bluff!_ "

"'Fraid not," the kidnapper denied. "One of you is _not_ the real you. But if you can't tell, we might as well _do away_ with the real one, eh?"

Yusuke gritted his teeth as he tried to puzzle out the imposter. Sayomi looked at each of her friends in turn and clenched her fists. _Even I can't tell which one is fake. How could anyone manage such a thorough disguise?_

"Time's up." The teen looked up from his watch to address Yusuke. "It's now or never. Choose. I'm now going to step off your shadow. But don't do anything foolish like attack me. It won't help. What you will do is _punch_ the one you pick _as hard as you can!_ "

" _What?! Why?!_ " Yusuke reeled.

The kidnapper clenched his fist and said, "Only _great pain_ will wipe away the assumed persona. You get one shot, so don't hold back." He stepped away from Yusuke's shadow.

Yusuke glared at the boy. "I don't get it. Why are you guys _doing_ this?!"

"Not for ourselves, though it has been fun." He held up a rectangular device and said, "But enough talk! _Choose!_ Or my next words will cause your real friend to suffer!"

Yusuke glared at his kidnapper and turned to his friends. "In that case… I've decided. And my choice is… _you!_ "

Yusuke dashed forward and landed a strong punch to Kuwabara's face. The carrot-top flew back through the air until he crashed into a bunch of easels and paintings. Once the dust settled, it was Yanagisawa in Kuwabara's clothing. His cheek was swelling and his eyes stared up at nothing.

"Well done," the blond kid complimented. "How did you know?"

Yusuke glared at the boy and answered. "He was the biggest target… that's all. And I owed the real Kuwabara one."

"Heh… I see." The abductor smirked.

Yusuke explained the rest of his reasoning. "And I had to figure that, unlike me, Kurama, Hiei, and Sayomi aren't the sort to let themselves get caught by mere humans, no matter how talented. So it was between Botan and Kuwabara."

"Heh…" Sayomi chuckled. _Unless you let yourself get caught on purpose, right, Hiei?_

"Shut up!" Hiei growled under his breath.

Yusuke clenched his fist. "But if you were the sort of scum to nab Botan and mistreat her… then this wouldn't have been a contest but the start of all-out _war._ So it was down to Kuwabara."

"Aww…" Botan clasped her hands together and tears filled her eyes. "Yusuke…"

The blond boy clapped his hands and smiled. "Crude reasoning, but it worked. I'm impressed."

"Hooray for you!" Yusuke snapped. "Now _release Kuwabara!_ "

"Yeah!" Botan pointed at him. "Or _you're next!_ "

"Oh, we'll certainly release him…" The kidnapper swept his arm open to bring everyone's attention to the doors creaking open behind him. "But first, let me present the mastermind behind this edifying exercise."

" _Who_ could it…?" Yusuke's eyes opened wide as he saw a figure walk into the room.

" _Oh my goodness!_ " Botan exclaimed.

 _But… Why…?_ Sayomi couldn't believe her eyes.


	37. Chapter 37

" _It was you?!_ " Yusuke yelled in disbelief. " _You_ put us through all this?! You'd better have a good reason 'cause I sure can't think of one!"

The old woman walked into the room, her hands clasped behind her back. Her stern eyes scanned every face in the room.

" _Well, Genkai?!_ " Yusuke shouted. " _Whatta you have to say?!_ "

A loud clatter cut off the detective's interrogation and all eyes fell on the third kidnapper. He was on his hands and knees, his head bowed low to the floor. " _I'm sorry!_ I'm really, really sorry!"

"Huh?" Yusuke reeled.

Sayomi arched a brow in confusion. _Wasn't he just talking down on us earlier? But if the mastermind was Genkai then that must mean…_

"We were _asked_ to do this! It was nothing personal!" The kid tried to explain, his head still kissing the floor.

"Of course it wasn't. This was _my idea_ from start to finish" Genkai confessed bluntly.

"Your idea? _Your_ idea?!" Yusuke put his hands to his head and asked, " _To do what? Drive me nuts?!_ "

Kurama sighed and closed his eyes. "Nasty little trick, Master Genkai. I began to suspect something was up."

" _Kurama!_ " Yusuke turned to the red-head. " _You_ know what's going on?! _Tell me,_ please!"

"You _really_ can't figure it out on you own, Yusuke?" Sayomi teased.

"Shut up, Sai!" Yusuke glared and held up his fist. "You don't want _any_ of what I've got!"

Sayomi smirked and said, "You'd have to hit me first."

Kurama answered, putting a halt to their banter. "It was Genkai's rather twisted way of saying hello. Right, Master?"

"More or less." The old hermit smirked. "But it wasn't all in fun. These boys…"

"Unh… Oh!" Sayomi turned to see Yanagisawa wake up from Yusuke's punch. He got to his feet and made his way to stand next to his blond friend who was just lifting his head from the floor.

"…Have abilities I wanted you to experience." Genkai nodded towards the two teenagers.

Botan turned to Kurama and asked, "When did you know?"

"Well, after we got into it…" Kurama explained. "I realized that, clever as they were, they really weren't playing for keeps."

"I… think you're right." Yusuke agreed, thinking back to what could've happened.

"So why were they doing it?" Kurama continued. "Then, the penny dropped – it was _training!_ And there was only one person devious enough to put us through our paces like that!"

"I figured it out a little after Yusuke knocked out that guy." Sayomi pointed at Yanagisawa. "Kuwabara seems to be her go-to option when it comes to teaching Yusuke a lesson. It's kinda scary when you think about it…"

"That still doesn't tell us _why_ ," Hiei said from the back. "What was the dancing around with these jokers supposed to prove?"

 _Like_ you're _one to talk, hot-head…_ Sayomi scowled at Hiei. Even if he didn't respond, she knew he could hear her.

Genkai looked at the fire demon and said, "There aren't many humans tough enough to beat you five in direct confrontation. But toughness isn't everything. There's also creativity, which can often be more dangerous than sheer strength. In a fist-fight, Hiei, you'd beat Kaito to a pulp. But he engaged you in a contest of mental focus and nailed you flat."

Sayomi turned away from the silent swordsman and tried to stifle her laugh. When she recovered, she saw Hiei glaring at her. She smirked and arched her brow. His eyes narrowed before he turned back to Genkai.

"As for you, Yusuke…" Genkai turned to her student.

He jerked his thumb at himself and said, "Man! If I'd known what he could do I'd've _taken_ him!"

"Idiot!" Genkai snapped. "You think a _real_ enemy's gonna fill you in on everything you need to know?! Your ignorance was _your failing,_ not his!"

"Ulp!" Yusuke shrunk back in fear, but crossed his arms and tried to brush it off. "Still, you said this wasn't all for laughs. Which leads me to believe you have a _real enemy_ in mind!"

"We…" The blond boy spoke up, still on his hands and knees. "We went to Genkai to see what she could tell us about our abilities. She told us about you, Mr. Urameshi… About your sixth sense and your now legendary combat skills. As for us, she said we got _our_ powers through a _portal to the Demon Plane!_ "

"A _portal…_ to the _Demon Plane?!_ " Botan asked in shock.

"Yes, Sakyo's little scheme." Genkai clarified. "Apparently someone in the Human World has picked up his ball and is now _running_ with it!"

" _What?!_ " Yusuke exclaimed.

"That's insane…" Sayomi muttered. _If Yasuhiro finds out about it and tries to get through…_

"Genkai filled me in, guys." All eyes turned to see Kuwabara walk into the room wearing nothing but a white shirt, boxer shorts and socks.

" _Kuwabara!_ " Yusuke smiled in relief.

Kuwabara's expression darkened and his tone was serious. "Someone's trying to create a dark, scary, _full-blown gateway_ to the Demon Plane!"

"What's scary is what you're _wearing!_ " Yusuke commented.

"I know! _I know!_ Geez…!" Kuwabara grumbled before stomping towards Yanagisawa. He punched the teen in the head and growled, "Gimme back my clothes!"

"Ow!" Yanagisawa yelped.

"But Sakyo's _dead!_ " Botan pointed out. "Who'd be trying to…?"

"It hasn't been all that long since the tournament…." Genkai said. "And one of Sakyo's close aides, or some other survivor, has decided to finish that portal."

"I don't know, Genkai…" Kurama said. "I mean, how could anyone manage to distort such a large field of space?"

"If it could be done, I'd be outta here," Hiei commented.

 _I know the monks were able to open one, but that portal only lasted long enough for me to get through…_ Sayomi tried to imagine how a human could do better.

Genkai turned to the two demons and answered, "If my saying so isn't enough, let's go _see it!_ "

"Where is it?" Sayomi asked.

"Swarm," Kaito answered.

" _Swarm Town?!_ " Yusuke yelled in shock. " _That's practically next door!_ "

 _Beeeeep!_

Everyone looked down at Botan's briefcase. " _A signal from Lord Koenma!_ "

Botan sat her briefcase on the floor and opened it for everyone to see. A small TV turned on from the underside of the lid and Koenma's toddler form filled the small screen. " _Ah, Botan! Good! Is Yusuke there? We have an emergency!_ "

"There's quite a group here, actually," Genkai informed the small ruler.

" _Genkai!_ Well now…" Koenma blinked as he recalled reviving the old woman. "There's a _dark gate_ widening at incredible speed! It went undetected due to its narrow range."

"Humans are already being affected," said Genkai. "We have a few with us, as a matter of fact. And I've seen about 30 others just this past month. They were all from Swarm."

"Just Swarm, eh?" Koenma began to sweat nervously as he held his head in stress. "That's better than I'd feared, but… not by much. It's already at the second stage…"

" _Second stage?!_ " Yusuke yelled. "What's all this _about?!_ "

Koenma clasped his hands together on his desk as he explained. "There are four stages to opening such a portal successfully. In the first, miasma enters and congeals in the Human World, while lesser life forms in the Demon Plane multiply. In the second, some humans gain special abilities due to their proximity to the Demon Plane. In the third, demons below Class D spawn in the Human World… and when the hole expands past a radius of 1 km, it reaches the final stage."

"Which is _what?!_ " Yusuke leaned over Botan's shoulder to glare at his boss. "The _Human World_ overrun by _every demon imaginable?!_ "

"Just about," Koenma confirmed. "Class C and Class B demons… Toguro, for instance, was Class B… would have complete freedom to enter the Human World."

" _Toguro?! Class B?!_ " Yusuke clenched his teeth. "I thought he was the _worst there was!_ "

"Hardly." Koenma looked Yusuke in the eye. "Deep in the Demon Plane lurk creatures we classify A and S! The Underworld has no capacity to handle Class S demons!"

 _Oh no…_ Sayomi felt her body grow numb as she remembered the wars raging between the Kings. _If they come here, it would be chaos…_

"The Demon Plane is a _vast realm_ ," Koenma continued. "The Underworld controls it only to a very tiny extent."

"Huh…" Botan blinked in wonder. "News to me."

Koenma displayed his own screen behind his desk. It showed a 3D diagram of a round, descending tunnel. Levels appeared down the tunnel at regular intervals.

"We basically hold sway over a mere one half of the topmost level of this abysmal region." Half of the top floor blinked red. "Think of the Demon Plane as a huge mine shaft, plunging to unimaginable depths. The lower you go, the more dangerous it becomes. Only slowly, and with great care, can we hope to control more." Koenma clenched his fists on his desk. "It's sealed off from the Human World by a powerful barrier that bars access to the Human World by Class A and S demons. Due to this design priority, the barrier is not wholly proof against incursions by demons with less than Class B power levels, but that's something we just have to accept. What we must never allow is a single Class A or S demon to slip through! The result would be _inconceivably catastrophic!_ "

Yusuke perspired, barely blinking as he tried to absorb the information. "So one Class A demon is deadlier than a _whole horde_ of these Class B scumballs?"

"What's all this stuff about _classes?!_ " Kuwabara jerked his thumb at his chest and said, "C'mon, fill me in! I can't _see or hear_ whatever's there!"

Koenma ignored Kuwabara and said, "We must take action _now…_ before the final stage is _completed!_ The _Underworld_ will devise _countermeasures!_ _You_ must find and stop whoever's _widening_ the portal!"

" _Finding_ them's no problem," Genkai assured. "They'll come for us… to _sweep_ us out of the way."

"So is _anybody_ gonna tell me what's _going on?!_ " Kuwabara asked, losing his patience.

"Well, Kuwabara…" Sayomi took a deep breath. "It's basically like this…" She explained the demon classes and the Underworld's limited power over them.

Kuwabara stared down at her, his eyes widening with every detail. When Sayomi finished speaking, he flipped. "You're saying _demons like Toguro_ could swarm out of this hole between worlds?! And that his type are Class B, while there's A _and_ S?! Demons even the _Underworld_ can't handle?! Well, that's just frickin' _swell!_ "

"That is exactly what I just said…" Sayomi muttered under her breath.

"Yeah!" Yusuke took over where Sayomi was cut off. "Best the Underworld can manage is a force field that holds them back. But now someone on this side's trying to breach it."

"First things first – restoring Kaito's soul," Genkai reminded the group.

"Oh, right…" Yusuke blinked. "I almost forgot."

"Yusuke, you'd forget your spirit gun if it wasn't attached."

"Shut up, Sai…" Yusuke grumbled.

Once they made it back to the front room, Genkai stood over Kaito's body and held out her hand. A bright aura surrounded the two while everyone else kept a safe distance. When Kaito's soul returned to his body, Yanagisawa helped him sit up.

"Unh… Oh…" Kaito noticed his audience and said, "Guess things went okay, huh?"

Kurama smiled. "We got the gist of it. A rather dramatic introduction, I'd say."

"Well, I really wanted to get the best of you for once." Kaito scoffed. "Hah! As if!"

Genkai crossed her arms and said, "Kaito's had that difficulty before. That's why these three sought me out last week. A soul is a very defenseless and fragile thing. With no body or ghost to protect it, it'll slip right into the afterlife."

Kurama sighed. "Knowing you, you had to test it."

"Yeah…" Kaito smiled and shrugged. "I said the taboo myself. Dumb, but I couldn't resist."

"Time for proper introductions," said the blond boy. "I'm Asato Kido, 15 years old. My ability is 'Shadow.'"

 _Copycat…_ Sayomi narrowed her eyes at the boy.

"Mitsunari Yanagisawa, 16 years old. My ability is 'Copy.'"

"Yu Kaito, 17 years old. My ability is 'Taboo.'"

Genkai turned to the rest of the group. "They're all from Swarm City. They discovered their abilities about a month ago."

"We figure it started when the three of us got _deathly sick_ at the same time," Kaito informed the group.

"Soon after the tournament," Kurama recalled.

"If that's stage 2…" Yusuke stroked his chin in thought. "Then the hole began to open right at that time. Koenma, how long until it reaches stage 4?"

"Stage 4, 2 km wide?" Koenma sighed and said, "Oh boy, let me think… The hole at present is 1.3 km wide, so… at an estimate, _at most_ three weeks."

" _Three weeks…!_ " Yusuke clenched his teeth as the color drained from his face. "At that point all Class B demons will be able to enter the Human World." He kneeled down in front of the monitor and asked, "What do we _do?!_ How do we _stop it?!_ "

Koenma looked tense as he answered. "You'll have to defeat whoever's opening the hole. He'll be in its center, distorting space. Be aware that once the hole is fully dilated… there is _no force in the universe_ that will be able to _close it!_ "

"Okay!" Yusuke said, "We know where the target is, so let's go _knock him out!_ "

" _Hold it, Yusuke!_ " Genkai ordered.

Yusuke turned to Kido and said, "You guys know the area. Take us there – "

Genkai punched the back of his head, cutting him off.

Yusuke turned on the old woman and yelled, "What is it _this time?!_ "

Genkai returned his glare and shouted back. "Can't you retain _anything_ in that sorry excuse for a brain?!" She lowered her volume when she had his attention, but maintained her authority. "You are incorrigibly _heedless,_ boy! Why do you think I staged all this? For a _laugh?!_ "

"The hole's _widening,_ Genkai! _We gotta move!_ " Yusuke argued.

"Will you please _think?!_ " Genkai sighed and said, "We have three weeks, time enough to scope out the enemy and formulate a plan of action."

"Geez, Yusuke…" Sayomi glared at the boy. "We thought you could've _died_ if we didn't comply with this crazy scheme. Now the enemy is _real_ and you don't even know who it is. One of these days, your impulsive nature will get you killed."

Yusuke scoffed. "Ha! I _already_ died. _Nothing_ can keep _me_ down!"

"Koenma, I'd like to know…" Everyone turned to look at Hiei. "…What Class I am now? How does the Underworld rank me?"

" _Hiei!_ " Kurama warned.

"It's a simple question," Hiei said.

Sayomi stared at the fire demon curiously. _Does it really matter? You all barely survived Toguro…_

Koenma fidgeted in his chair for a moment before answering. "You are mid-rank Class B, Hiei. The Younger Toguro was upper Class B."

"Hmph!" Hiei glared down at the young ruler. "Most unsatisfactory."

Koenma quickly went into further detail. "You only ranked upper Class D when you fought Yusuke, and that was just six months ago. You've made astounding progress since then."

"Hmm…" Hiei turned on his heel towards the door. "You think so?"

"Hiei…" Yusuke tried to talk to the swordsman.

"The Human World is no concern of mine…" Hiei turned to Yusuke. "…While access to the Demon Plane is. If Class B demons can pass through this hole when it reaches 2 km…" He turned back to the door. "Hmph! You do as you like. I won't get in your way, but…"

 _Hiei…_ Sayomi took slow breaths as she stared at Hiei's back. _You're really torn, aren't you? You want to go home, but you don't want to hurt us to do it._

" _Hiei!_ " The swordsman stopped as Kuwabara stepped forward. "You're really walking out?"

"Yes." Hiei turned to look him in the eye. "But for what it's worth… good luck." Then he walked out and slammed the door behind him.

" _Snort!_ Can't say I'm surprised!" Kuwabara glared at the door where Hiei stood. "He always was a _snotty twerp!_ "

"Yeah, but…" Sayomi replayed his parting words in her mind. "At least he didn't threaten to kill us."

"Don't worry, he'll be back." Yusuke smirked. "When could he ever resist a good fight?"

"He's disoriented, Yusuke." Kurama said, "Proximity to the Demon Plane isn't just affecting humans."

"We're better off if he does stay out of it," Genkai said. "Our enemies are not likely to be interested in one-on-one engagements. That's why we mustn't be hasty. For now, go home and get some rest. We'll meet the day after tomorrow and start our recon operation."

The next day, Sayomi sat next to a creek in a local park. She closed her eyes and focused on the trickling water, taking deep breaths. She let her thoughts flow without lingering on them. Within minutes, she found herself back in the Void.

She sighed and began to walk. "All this time, he's been hunting and fighting demons. How will Yusuke react when he has to fight his own kind? I know he fights kids in the streets, but he grew up doing that. He also doesn't use his aura against them. If it comes down to it, will he be able to really fight another human? Why would a human want to open a portal to the Demon Plane anyways?"

Sayomi scratched her head as her thoughts began to stream out into the infinite darkness. "And now Kuwabara doesn't even have his sixth sense anymore so he most likely won't be able to join in this time. Since I first met him, he was always the first one to jump in on a mission. He was always eager to fight and having Yusuke there only pushed him to fight harder. Now, he's gonna be left behind. Though I doubt that'll keep him from trying."

She smiled as she thought about Kurama. "He handled himself pretty well at the house. He was able to use his opponent's power against him. It didn't even take him that long to plan and act. And he figured out Genkai was behind the charade pretty early on. He seems to have calmed down a bit since the tournament. I don't see much of the Fox Demon too often, but it's still there." Her smile fell. "I guess even with his new life as a human, he can't just ignore who he really is. But who is Kurama now? The Kurama I came to know is intelligent, nice, and loyal to his friends and family. So what was he like before? I hope I never have to find out personally."

She felt a pain in her chest as her thoughts shifted. "I can't believe Hiei would just leave like that… I mean, I guess I could, but I was hoping he would stick around to help. Why does he want to go back to the Demon Plane so much? I know he's a demon, but it's not exactly the safest place. Maybe it's the danger that he misses. He didn't have as many rules preventing him from fighting like he does here. He was like a different person at the Dark Tournament and Labyrinth Castle. He was free to use his skills without consequence. He enjoys fighting but he can't really do that here."

She smiled as she remembered his last words before leaving. "At least he doesn't want to hurt us. He must be really confused. He's always scaring people away and choosing isolation, but he was never too far away. Maybe it's the same way in this case. Maybe he's watching us now from a safe distance while he sorts out his own thoughts. I just hope Yusuke's right about him coming back…"

"About who coming back?"

Sayomi sighed and stopped walking. "What do you want _now_ , Yasuhiro?"

"What's with that attitude? Are you being rebellious with me?" The shadow demon stood behind his sister with his hands on his hips. He smiled down at her and said, "You should work on that."

Sayomi turned to glare at her brother. "I found out what you did."

"But did you find out the whole story?" Yasuhiro smirked.

"I was told you would sneak into the Human World to practice your techniques. You would purposely attack humans then retreat back into the Demon Plane before anyone could catch you. That's why we were being hunted, isn't it?"

Yasuhiro sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Well, you're not wrong. You gotta understand, though, I didn't have a choice."

"You could've just trained in the Demon Plane." Sayomi turned away from her brother to stare at the Void. "You didn't have to go out of your way to attack humans. Sure, they're not as strong as us, and not all of them are pleasant, but they don't deserve to be hunted and tormented like that."

"I see…" Yasuhiro sighed. "So they still haven't told you."

"I think they told me enough, Yasuhiro." Sayomi took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I think you better go, or I'll tell Koenma."

"Sayomi, don't you want to know what's happening to you? What's happened to your Shade? I could help you get stronger, but you need to come back to the Demon Plane with me. Everyone here has been on edge. Something is about to happen and every demon here is aware of it."

Sayomi's eyes widened as he spoke. _My Shade? Does he know what happened to her? And the demons… Are they reacting to the portal?_ "I can't leave yet… I still…"

Yasuhiro's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why do you stay with them? They're just humans, and a couple of traitors, who work for the Underworld. Why do you insist on risking yourself for them?"

"Because I made a promise I intend to keep…" Sayomi answered automatically. "And they're my friends. I care about what happens to them and even if I can't fight anymore, I'll stay with them until they either don't need me or don't want me around anymore."

"And the traitor?" Yasuhiro's eyes darkened as he remembered his last encounter with the swordsman.

Sayomi took in a few slow breaths before answering. _I probably shouldn't tell him too much…_ "What about him?"

"Where is he now?" Yasuhiro crossed his arms. "Wasn't he your bodyguard or something? You've developed some dangerous habits if you're spending your time with _him._ "

"He was training me to fight. I paid him to." Sayomi did her best to keep her tone neutral.

"So it's his fault you're like this…"

"That's not what I said. I'm the one who forced him into it. But like I said, I'm not allowed to fight any more so I don't see the problem."

"Is he here now?" Yasuhiro scanned his surroundings.

"Not that I know of, but sometimes he does watch my meditations from a distance."

"He does what?" Yasuhiro asked quietly.

"He normally doesn't interfere like that one time. He just makes sure I'm still in control. Then he gives me tips to improve." _Granted, they're more like insults mixed with tips, but still…_

"You're taking meditation advice from a killer? Are you telling me that you trust _him_ more than you trust your own _brother?_ "

Sayomi turned to glare at him. "Hiei's never killed a human before. Sure he's come close a couple times, but he's never actually done it. He's not as cold-blooded as you seem to think."

"Does the demon blood on his sword not repulse you? So long as _humans_ are safe from his wrath, he could kill as many _demons_ as he wishes and _that_ doesn't _bother_ you?"

"Well, he's…" Sayomi hesitated. _How do I answer that? It's true he's killed a lot of demons, but then, so have I at this point, right? Maybe not as many, but I kinda needed to. Maybe he didn't have a choice…_ "He's different now… He doesn't have a reason to kill anymore."

"So you'll defend his actions and condemn me for mine." Yasuhiro sighed. "Looks like you leave me no choice…"

"What do you mean?" Sayomi watched him carefully, preparing to move if necessary.

"I think I've given you enough time, Sayomi. As soon as I have the chance, I'll find you and bring you home. You may have stopped fighting for now, but unless I do something, you won't be around much longer."

Before Sayomi could say anything, Yasuhiro disappeared as quickly as he appeared. She scowled and clicked her tongue. "Great. Just what I needed… That basically gives me until the time the portal opens. I just hope we can stop it before that happens."

When Sayomi opened her physical eyes, she let out a heavy sigh. "I guess I better go find Yusuke. No telling what he's doing to distract himself from this mess."

She followed his aura signature until she found him downtown. She walked into a building that looked smaller on the outside. Inside, it was fairly dark, but there were screens scattered throughout the vicinity. Noises and music drowned out the crowd outside and reminded her of a similar room at Genkai's temple. "She called these things games, right?"

She made her way through the room and noticed things she didn't see at Genkai's temple. _These look newer than the ones Master Genkai has. I wonder what the big appeal is with these games._

She wandered around until she found Yusuke at one of the cabins. She peeked over his shoulder and saw him pressing buttons and moving a stick around. She looked up at the screen and saw two characters fighting. When he won a round, Sayomi said, "Why can't you be this good in real life?"

"Gahh!" Yusuke jumped in his seat and turned around. "Jeez, Sai! Why d'you gotta sneak up on me like that?"

"Really, Yusuke?" Sayomi crossed her arms and raised a brow. "There's an unknown enemy out there right now and you're absorbed in _this?_ "

Yusuke scowled and turned back to his game. "Shut up! I _want_ to go out and find out who it is, but _Grandma_ said _not_ to!"

"Can't blame her, can you?" Sayomi clasped her hands behind her head and said, "You let yourself get caught by a couple of human kids, yet you want to jump in head-first at a real dangerous enemy without any knowledge of what they're capable of." She sighed and shook her head. "Sometimes I wonder if she really made the right choice in choosing _you_ in her trials."

Yusuke ground his teeth and stood from his seat. He glared down at her and yelled, "You want to take this _outside?!_ "

"Sure, it might help to give your brain a little fresh air." Sayomi turned on her foot and made her way out the door. Yusuke stomped after her with his fists shoved in his pockets. Once they made it to a quiet alley, she turned to her charge and said, "You do realize you could've died, right? Or does the threat of death give you that much of a rush that you've become suicidal?"

"I just want to stop the guy _as soon as possible!_ The longer we _wait,_ the _closer_ they get to _opening that portal!_ "

"We _know_ that, Yusuke!" Sayomi glared at the stubborn boy. "But if you keep this up, you'll be just like Hiei! He basically _gave_ his soul to Kaito at the house!"

"He _did?_ " Yusuke blinked. "What the _hell?!_ "

"Like _you're_ one to talk!" Sayomi glared at Yusuke and snapped. "My point is you can't just throw caution out the window! You need to _slow down_ and actually take things more _seriously!_ I would think dying _once_ would show you that you're not invincible, but because you _came back,_ you still feel that invincibility!"

"Hey! If I can take on _Toguro,_ I can handle another human!" Yusuke jerked his thumb at himself and said, "I may not be the smartest guy, but I'm damn well the _toughest_ around! I just need to know whose ass I need to kick!"

Sayomi sighed and put her hand to her forehead. "I swear! And Hiei wonders why I always compare you two!"

"Why are you comparing me to your boyfriend?!" Yusuke stuck his tongue out in disgust. "I don't think Keiko would appreciate that."

"He's _not_ my _boyfriend,_ Yusuke!" Sayomi's eyes darkened and she clenched her fists to hold herself back from striking him. "You guys just happen to be a lot _alike!_ "

"Whatever, I know you have a crush on him. It's because he's gone that you're acting like this, right?"

Sayomi couldn't respond. Yusuke's accusation caught her off guard and she felt herself hesitate as she seriously considered his words. _It doesn't bother me_ that _much, does it? Yusuke really_ does _need to be careful, otherwise he'll end up like Hiei at the house._ She glared up at Yusuke. "He has nothing to do with this. I'm just trying to keep _you_ from doing anything crazy. Keiko would have my head if I let anything happen to you."

"And Hiei will skin me alive if I let _you_ die in the crossfire," Yusuke countered. Before Sayomi could retort, he cut her off. "Don't even _try_ to deny it. I notice things too, sometimes. If I see one of you, the other isn't usually too far away. He's the one who was training you, right?"

"Only because he seemed like the best choice at the time," Sayomi grumbled, crossing her arms.

"You could've trained with _us_ , you know. Grandma was asking where you were and I couldn't even give her a proper answer. Then when I get back, you and Hiei are all buddy-buddy with each other." Yusuke smirked and said, "Now don't try to tell me there's nothing going on between you two, but you can let me know if he does anything to hurt you."

Sayomi felt speechless after Yusuke's accusation. _But… I didn't even notice until much later!_

"Knowing the both of you, I doubt you've even gotten to first base, but don't let anyone keep you from being happy." Yusuke smirked and ruffled Sayomi's hair. "Besides, I'm sure he'll be back. Though he won't admit it, I bet it's bothering him, too."

"That is _not_ what I came to talk to you about." Sayomi's eyes narrowed. "I wanted to make sure you didn't run off into battle without warning anyone beforehand."

"Sure, you might've come for that, too, but you seem to be in some mood since Hiei left last night. I'm just trying to tell you not to worry too much over it because he'll be back."

"You don't know that, Yusuke. He wants to go back to the Demon Plane. It's only logical he wouldn't want to stop the portal from opening."

"Yeah, but you're a demon too." Yusuke reminded the girl. "And you're probably the only one that'll get this close to him for a long time. You should take advantage and get him before it's too late."

"Why are you giving me advice like this?" Sayomi asked with suspicion. "It's so weird to hear _you_ talk about relationships."

"Well, maybe I just want you to be happy, Sai. And Hiei could use a girl like you to keep him in check." Yusuke smirked and shrugged. "But what do I know? I can barely handle my _own_ relationships."

Sayomi sighed, but she couldn't stop herself from smirking. "The world must _really_ be ending."

"Hey! Don't _jinx_ us!" Yusuke smirked, putting her into a headlock.

"Let go, Yusuke!" Sayomi struggled to get free.

Yusuke let her go and said, "C'mon, let's go see What Keiko's up to? We can save the world tomorrow."


	38. Chapter 38

Sayomi and the boys met up with Genkai and the three new psychics in the abstract house. From there, they split into two groups. In the first group, Genkai led Yusuke, Sayomi, Kido, and Yanagisawa to Swarm City. In the second group, Kurama led Kuwabara, Botan, and Kaito to where the portal was supposed to be.

When Sayomi and her group made it to Swarm City, she glared and said, "I didn't think I should've taken the name _Swarm City_ so literally…"

"Holy cheese…" Yusuke's eyes bugged at the sight. "I didn't think it'd be _this_ bad."

Demon insects flew and crawled all over. They covered the sidewalk, buildings, and people without their notice. Sayomi swiped at any bug that flew too close to her face, killing it instantly. _I should've gone with Kurama's group._

"So normal people can't see this?" Yusuke asked.

"Nope," Kido answered. "Otherwise they'd be freaking. Whattaya think of the place?"

Yusuke swatted at an insect that flew too close. "Can't see it for the _bugs._ "

"Even a can of bug spray wouldn't stand a chance against _this_ infestation." Sayomi made sure to step on every bug that crossed her path. _If Hiei were here he could just burn them all. Although he would probably end up burning the rest of the city too…_

"Well, it's a really dreary, boring dump," Kido commented. "I've wanted to move out for ages. Strange, though… Now I feel driven to defend it. It infuriates me that those behind this just lurk and sneer in the shadows."

Sayomi and Yusuke exchanged a glance then looked at Kido.

"No one messes with my hometown, man."

"Yes, but don't get ahead of yourself," Genkai warned. "Respect your ability's dangers as well as its gifts."

"Hope the team at the hole is okay," Yusuke mused. "It's the enemy's base, right?"

"Kurama's leading them, so I've no worries," Genkai answered bluntly.

"He's sensible! _I get it!_ " Yusuke growled.

Sayomi smirked and said, "You can't blame her with _your_ track record."

"No one asked you, Sai!" Yusuke growled down at her.

"Hey, you use shadows too, right?" Kido asked. "I wanted to talk to you about that."

Sayomi turned to the boy and lifted a brow. "What do you want to know?"

"What can you do? All I can do is freeze people in place." He shrugged. "I was wondering if you could show me a couple things."

"Sayomi's power is different from yours, Kido." Genkai kept her eyes forward and said, "Her power comes from another space separate from ours."

Sayomi sighed and shook her head. "That's true, but that doesn't mean he can't learn." She looked up at Kido and said, "For you, I'd say a good place to start would be trying to move your own shadow."

Kido's eyes widened slightly. "Move my shadow?"

"Yeah." Sayomi shrugged. "It's second nature to me, but maybe you could try it on your own."

"How do I do _that?_ " He asked.

"Hmm…" Sayomi tapped her chin in thought. "Try visualizing what you want your shadow to do, take a deep breath and focus. It might take you a few tries, but you'll get it if you practice."

"Moving my shadow… I never even thought of that." Kido thankfully smiled down at Sayomi. "What else can you do?"

Sayomi smirked and said, "I was actually gonna steal _your_ technique. It's so subtle and simple that no one would think of it until it's too late. Which explains why you were able to trap Yusuke in the first place."

"I _can_ hear you…" Yusuke growled.

"You were supposed to." Sayomi patted his head, smiling at his scowl.

Suddenly, everyone became alert. The group stopped walking and Genkai asked, "Feel that?"

"Yeah…" Kido confirmed. "We're in someone's territory. And he's using his ability, or we wouldn't sense it!"

"Right!" Yanagisawa agreed. "He's gotta be _pretty close!_ "

"Maybe down there." Yusuke stared down a stairwell that made a sharp left turn. Low music and muffled voices could be heard from below. A sign outside read _The Stacked Deck Mahjong Club_. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Let's go!"

Downstairs, Yusuke pushed open the tinted glass doors.

"Welcome." Two men greeted them politely from behind the counter. They were in a small lobby with tables and chairs scattered around tiled floor. On each table was a blank mat with small tiles on each side. One table was occupied by a group of four who were engaged in a game. They glared up at the newcomers.

"It's one of those four," Kido whispered.

"One of those _six_ – could be a clerk." Yusuke scanned the room of unfamiliar faces. "Or maybe _all_ of them. You never know."

A loud clack echoed in the room. "I win. Simple – two identical chows, 2 dora."

"Gack! You win again, you tile hoarder."

"It's like you can see all our hands, man."

"Let's play!" Yusuke grinned, claiming a seat at a random table.

"I've never played Mahjong," Genkai confessed, following his lead. Kido and Yanagisawa took the remaining two seats while Sayomi stood and watched.

"What's Mahjong?" Sayomi asked as they scrambled the tiles.

"It's a game. You try to get matching pairs and sequences. Like getting a pair of fours and a sequence of 7, 8, and 9. The suits also need to match for it to be a win."

"You sure know a lot about it for someone who's never played, Grandma." Yusuke eyed his teacher suspiciously.

"I've never played, but I have watched, dimwit."

"Heh heh heh… I just listen to your inner voices." The Mahjong winner chuckled confidently.

"Hmm…" Yusuke snuck a peek at the other table as three of the four men stood up.

"We've had enough."

"We're outta here."

As the three men left the lobby, the fourth man leaned back in his seat without turning. "You, new guys… You want something?"

Yusuke and the others quickly stood up from their seats in alarm. Sayomi instinctively reached behind her back for her weapon.

"You have gifts too, eh?" The stranger stood up from his seat and turned to smirk at them. He wasn't very tall, but he had a strong jawline and cheekbones. His eyes, nose, and mouth were small and flat.

"Please, we don't want any trouble," A clerk pleaded urgently.

"Me neither. Okay…" The stranger slipped his hands in his pockets and asked, "What's your business? You're not trouble, are you?"

"Depends." Yusuke met his stare with a cautious glare. "We've come about a hole. A really _big hole._ "

"Oh, the barrier tunnel?" The man asked.

"You _know_ about it!" Kido accused.

The man smirked. "You've been discussing it in your _minds._ "

"So he can _read minds!_ " Kido concluded.

Sayomi's eyes widened. _A telepath? Or does he just read them?_

"Hmm… Maybe…" Yusuke pondered. "Or maybe he's just trying to _show_ us. If he _could_ read minds, he'd know more than he seems to!"

"Let me test him," Kido volunteered.

"Well… Okay." Yusuke let Kido step forward.

Sayomi watched the stranger carefully. _If he can read minds, then he'll know about Kido's ability. But if he doesn't…_

"What's with _you?_ " The stranger pulled his fists from his pockets. "You wanna fight?"

"No," Kido answered calmly. "There's just something I'd like to know."

Sayomi could feel when Kido opened his territory. _He's pretty fast!_

Just as Kido stepped forward to stomp on his shadow, the stranger jumped back out of his reach. Kido gasped. The man took his chance to step back in and deliver a series of quick jabs to Kido's stomach. Kido was knocked off his feet and he fell back against a wall. He clutched his stomach in pain as he tried to get his breath back.

"Kido!" Sayomi rushed to his side to examine the damage.

"Hack!" Kido coughed up some blood and squinted up at the man. "It's _true!_ He reads minds!"

The man smirked and jumped in place on the balls of his feet with raised fists. "Care for more? I hope to be a pro boxer. My 'Wiretap' ability will give me quite an edge."

Sayomi focused on healing Kido's stomach and glared up at the human. _Coward. That's called cheating._

"Okay, you read minds. Swell." Yusuke stared at the man, showing no signs of weakness. "The point is, do we gotta take you out?"

"Th-they're getting _crazy!_ " A clerk panicked behind the counter.

" _I'm calling the cops!_ " The second clerk yelled, picking up a corded phone.

Ignoring the spectators, Yusuke continued. "Yanagisawa can touch your head and copy everything in it, including your memories. That way we can find out if you're on the up and up."

"Forget it." The stranger shook his head, smirking. "I'm not gettin' involved in anything. Now stand aside, I'm leaving."

"Yeah?" Yusuke removed his green jacket and dropped it on the floor behind him.

"I dunno about this, Genkai. Should he…?" Yanagisawa looked down at his teacher, uncertain.

"Don't worry," the old woman assured. "If all this guy can do is read minds, he's no match for a Dark Tournament Champion."

"Besides, Yusuke doesn't really think when he fights," Sayomi commented. "He's pretty straight forward, yet he still surprises people."

"I'll make a straight attack, and get you with a straight right. Ready?" Yusuke watched the man carefully, keeping eye contact. After a brief moment, he said, "Here I come."

Sayomi watched as Yusuke dashed forward and threw a straight right jab. At the last second, he stopped just in front of the man's shocked face and pulled pack. The force alone was enough to knock the man unconscious off his feet.

"Yikes!" Kido's eyes widened as he quickly sat up straight. "I didn't _see_ him move!"

"Really?" Sayomi blinked. "Looked kinda _slow_ to me."

"I'd say that was about 30%." Genkai informed the group.

"Pulled the punch, too." Yusuke scratched the back of his head. "The shockwave nailed 'im."

"Your turn, Yanagisawa." Genkai nodded for the boy to use his technique.

The teen nodded and knelt down to reach out to the stranger. In a moment, he looked just like the guy if not for the clothes that now hung too loose on his body. He stood up and shook his head. "He's innocent. He doesn't know zip."

"Well, damn." Sayomi sighed and crossed her arms. "So much for _that_ possible lead."

"All right," Genkai said. "He'll still have his uses."

"What's going on, Boss?" One clerk asked quietly.

" _Yaah!_ How should I know?!" The other clerk yelled, throwing up his hands in a panic.

Ignoring the two men, Sayomi nudged the stranger with her foot. "Hey! Wake up!"

"Unh…" The stranger groaned, but he still didn't wake.

"Yusuke knocked him out cold. There's no telling how long he'll be down," Genkai commented, staring down at the man.

"Well we can at least take him with us, right?" Yusuke asked as he shrugged back into his jacket.

"I'm not carrying him," Sayomi declared. "It's not our fault he wanted to fight. Why not just let Yana keep his form and we can just use _him?_ "

"His abilities don't extend to using someone else's techniques. He can only impersonate so much, but it's still useful for fooling the enemy and gathering information," Genkai explained.

"Fine." Sayomi crouched down and pulled the stranger up by his hair. She glared at his closed lids and lowered her voice so only he could hear her. "If you wake up _now_ , I won't give you any _nightmares…_ "

The stranger trembled and slowly opened his eyes. He flinched when he stared into her storm gray eyes. They were nearly black and he could see his own pale reflection. "I-I'm up! I'll do whatever you want!"

Sayomi smiled and let go of his hair. She patted his head and stood up straight. "Was that so hard?"

"Y-you…! W-what are you?!" He broke out in a cold sweat and tried to scoot away. He looked up at the rest of the group and yelled. "Who are you people?!"

" _Jeez, Sai!_ What did you _do_ to the guy?" Yusuke looked at Sayomi with a mix of fear and worry.

Sayomi shrugged and looked at the floor. "I kinda had a flashback, hoping he would be listening with his mind. I think it worked…"

Yusuke looked back at the man as he watched everyone with fear and suspicion. He sighed and scratched the back of his head. "It _worked_ , alright." He crouched down in front of the man and spoke in a calm, friendly tone. "Hey, don't get the wrong impression. We just want to _talk._ "

"I'll talk! Just keep _her_ away from me!" He pointed a shaking finger at Sayomi.

"That's cool. No problem. Now, how about we get outta here before we run into the wrong crowd?" Yusuke snuck a quick glance at the clerks who were fretting about cops and crazy dreams.

They left the lobby and made their way back up to street level. They merged with the crowd until they found the Town Square. They settled next to some bushes and watched as the pedestrians went about their day, unaware of the demon insects that swarmed their city.

"Murota, right?" Yusuke asked the man. "And your ability has a 30-mile range?!"

"Yeah," Murota confirmed. He had small tissues in his nose to stop the bleeding from Yusuke's pulled-punch. "Within it I can hear people's thoughts clear as a bell. The higher the emotion, the louder the notion, y'might say. Not always fun, I tell ya."

"So anyone who comes in range is an open book, eh?" Yusuke asked.

"Alert us to any suspicious thoughts, but don't let on that you're doing anything. The enemy mustn't pinpoint you," Genkai instructed.

Sayomi listened as she scanned the sea of faces. _I wonder if Hiei can hear everyone's thoughts at once or if he just chooses who he listens in on. Knowing him, it probably depends on what he wants. He_ does _have the Evil Eye…_

"Ah!" Murota gasped, snapping Sayomi out of her thoughts. "That _girl!_ "

"Yes?" Genkai asked.

Sayomi followed his eyes to a young girl with a shirt haircut and shy demeanor. She wore a denim jacket over a white button-up top with cherries. _Is she an enemy?_

"She's totally got the hots for Yusuke!" Murota blurted out.

Genkai growled and punched the back of his head while Yusuke closed his eyes and brought his elbow down on his back. Sayomi clenched her fists and took slow breaths to keep herself from following their example.

" _You some kinda idiot?!_ " Yusuke yelled in Murota's face.

"Sorry, man! Sorry!" The boxer laughed and held up a finger. "Just checkin' if you were _serious!_ "

"We are! So keep listening!" Yusuke ordered.

"Okay!"

Sayomi redirected her attention to the humans milling about the area. _What do these humans do all day? They're all carrying bags, but they don't look durable enough for long distance travel. Are they gathering supplies or something? They all look so clean, too._ She looked down at her dirty feet and clothes. _They probably don't have to worry about fighting to survive through the day. I don't think I could really live that kinda life. I guess I can see why Hiei wants to go back. But if I go back, where will I go?_

Sayomi glanced up at Yusuke, then shifted her eyes down to Murota. _Once this is settled, will I have to fight my own brother? Or will we be able to stop the tunnel from opening? Even so, once Yusuke's ready… I'll have to find a way back, right? I don't even know how they opened that portal for me to get here. And I was weaker back then, right? I know I'm not as strong as the boys, but I'm definitely stronger than I used to be. I just hope I don't get too strong that I won't be able to go back._

Sayomi noticed Murota become stiff as sweat began to bead on his skin. She raised an eyebrow as he started shaking. _Is he okay?_

"Murota?" Yusuke asked.

"Oh no…" Murota lowered his head as he perspired more. His eyes were wide open and he spoke through clenched teeth. "…I… I found him!" He brought up his hands to clutch his head in pain. "He's so… so _loud!_ Yet the voice is dark and subdued… I've never heard anything like it."

"Who _is_ it?" Yusuke asked. He leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Don't point, just tell us where."

"To our right…" Murota explained. "…Tall guy… Black clothes… Hair swept back…"

Sayomi listened to his description until she spotted him in the crowd. _Is that him?_

The man stopped walking. When he turned to face them, Sayomi shivered. Her attention snapped back down to Murota as she heard the impact. Blood spurted from his forehead and he fell back, unconscious. "Oh no!"

"Eeeek!" The pedestrians stopped to watch as Yusuke supported Murota's limp body. Sayomi and Yusuke glared at the man in black. He smirked before disappearing again in the crowd.

 _That had to be him!_ Sayomi kept her breathing calm. She watched as Yusuke ignored the man to help Murota. _I guess we'll be seeing him again soon._ She looked down at Murota and was about to heal him when Genkai stopped her.

"Not here. There's too many witnesses. We'll take him to a hospital." Genkai helped Yusuke support the man's body.

Sayomi heard a loud wailing noise that sounded like it was getting closer. "What's a hospital?"

"A healing facility for humans," Genkai answered. "Sounds like an ambulance is on its way. We've found the ringleader. For now, let's get him taken care of."


	39. Chapter 39

"'We seven will dig graves for every human being.' And 'Dark Angel, Gatekeeper, Sniper, Gourmet, Game Master, Doctor, and Seaman…'" Murota sat in the waiting room with bandages wrapped around his head. Sayomi and the others stood around him listening. "That's all I heard that wasn't just cackles and rants of pure malevolence. Don't ask more of me. I don't wanna die."

"Seven short descriptions…" Kido mused. "Nicknames, maybe?"

"Probably," Genkai agreed. "I'm sure they reflect their abilities. I thought you'd go charging after him, Yusuke. Dare I hope that you've matured?"

Yusuke brought his hand up to cover his mouth as he thought back. "The thing is… I looked into his eyes and… froze!" He turned to Genkai with a frown. "This guy's a nasty sucker… A spider lurking in his trap, waiting for you to blunder in. Then he'll wrap you up, poison you, and suck you dry."

"That sounds about right," Sayomi pitched in. "I suddenly felt cold. I wanted to be as far away from him as possible."

"Very good," Genkai commended. "I felt the same way. He won't spring his trap until the last minute… and won't use his ability until he moves in for the kill. The fact that he wasn't the one who 'shot' Murota is also pertinent."

 _What…?_ Sayomi's eyes widened at Genkai's claim. Yusuke blinked curiously at his teacher.

"The projectile came from straight ahead. Turning towards us was his signal to the shooter," Genkai explained.

"So what hit me?" Murota asked.

"This." Genkai held up a small white object. "A piece of an eraser."

" _Eraser?!_ " Yusuke glared at the tiny bullet.

"He cracked my skull with _that?!_ " Murota yelled in disbelief.

"I feel the shooter's chi enveloping it," Genkai continued. "That made it as hard as a BB shot. I watched its trajectory, but the sniper was over 500 M away. I couldn't see his face, but he's clearly quite powerful."

"Um… How good is your vision, Master Genkai?" Sayomi asked curiously.

"120/20," Genkai answered bluntly.

"Huh…" Sayomi blinked. _I don't know what those numbers mean, but it must be really good if she can see up to 500 M away…_

Suddenly, a familiar sensation ran through everyone at once.

"Someone just _enlarged_ his territory!" Yanagisawa warned.

"Who'd do that in a _hospital?!_ " Kido asked angrily.

" _The Doctor!_ " Genkai deduced.

" _Stay alert,_ everyone! Be ready for _anything!_ " Yusuke ordered.

Everyone formed a circle, facing back-to-back. Sayomi scanned the area of elderly, sick and wounded. They were unaware of the potential danger. _This is insane… I thought doctors were supposed to be_ healers!

"Ow!" Murota flinched.

"Ouch!" Yanagisawa glanced down and he started to sweat. "What the…" On his hand was a large insect. It was fat with wings and it pricked his skin with a syringe-shaped nose.

" _Ah!_ " Murota screamed.

" _What is this thing?!_ " Yanagisawa panicked.

" _Yana!_ " Kido yelled.

" _Kill it!_ " Sayomi growled.

" _Yow!_ " Yanagisawa smacked the bug on his hand. The insect vanished, but his skin quickly became covered in spots. They continued to spread up his arm at an alarming rate. "Ah… Aaah!"

" _Waah!_ " Murota dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around himself. Yanagisawa followed soon after.

" _Yana! Murota!_ " Yusuke called, turning to see his friends in pain.

"What kinda bugs were _those?_ " Sayomi wondered aloud. "I've never seen any like _them_ before."

"S-so cold…" Murota muttered as he started shivering.

"Hurts… All over!" Yanagisawa clutched his chest tightly.

" _They're burning up!_ " Kido panicked as he felt Murota's forehead.

"Must be some kinda _fever!_ " Yusuke concluded.

"Yes," Genkai agreed. "But not from the Demon Plane! Must be something cooked up by the Doctor! And there's bound to be _more!_ "

The group looked up to see themselves hemmed in by the flying insects.

"They're everywhere!" Kido froze. "We're surrounded!"

"You folks okay?"

Everyone turned to the nurse walking towards them from the hallway. Sayomi's eyes widened when she saw the insects hovering around her shoulders. _Oh no…_

" _Gack!_ " Yusuke and Kido reeled at the sight.

"Does anyone need a doctor?" The young lady asked.

"They're _landing_ on you!" Yusuke pointed frantically.

" _Shake 'em off!_ " Kido warned.

"Huh?" The nurse looked down at her shoulder curiously. "Shake off what? You sure you're okay?"

"Yes! Just _stay back!_ " Yusuke yelled. He clenched his teeth and said, "She can't see 'em! She didn't know she was bringing 'em _right up to us!_ "

Genkai finished. "We have to find the Doctor… _and fast!_ "

" _Then let's do it!_ " Yusuke agreed. He dashed passed the nurse with Genkai, Kido, and Sayomi on his heels. " _Take care of those guys, nurse!_ "

" _Hey, you hooligans! No running in the halls!_ "

Ignoring her orders, Sayomi and the others punched and swiped through the disease carrying insects. She glared and clenched her teeth as she killed each bug. _Why did it have to be_ more _bugs? Weren't there enough outside as it is?!_

"This hospital must be _fulla_ doctors!" Kido yelled.

"Then we knock 'em all out!" Yusuke countered. "I'm afraid it's the only way."

"Just don't kill anyone," Genkai cautioned.

"Right," Sayomi agreed. "At least they're just humans."

Kido looked at the three with a panicked expression.

"This is a big hospital!" Yusuke warned. "We'd better split up!"

"Is that really a good idea against this Doctor guy?!" Kido asked.

"Again, no choice," Genkai reminded the boy. "Make some noise if you find him!"

"I'll check the _first floor!_ " Kido volunteered.

"I'll do the _second!_ " Yusuke said.

"I'll be around!" Sayomi smirked.

"It could be he doesn't work here!" Yusuke warned.

"Ask the nurses if they've noticed anyone unfamiliar!" Genkai advised.

As they split up, Sayomi used her aura to become shadow and she made her way into the ventilation system. In the vents, she listened to every word spoken in the halls. She made her way to the very top of the building and scanned each floor on her way down. _All I'm picking up are talks about health problems. Then there was the floor with all the crying human infants. And there's a strong odor that keeps assaulting my senses. How big is this guy's territory?_

" _Eeeek!_ "

 _Someone screamed!_ Sayomi quickly made her way back down to the first floor.

"Omigosh, what's _happened_ here?! _Who_ did this, Doctor?"

Sayomi materialized just down the hall from where she heard the scream. As she neared the room, she heard a man say, "A _strange_ man was here, and when I arrived he _ran that way!_ Call security! Tell them they can still _catch_ him!"

Sayomi clicked her tongue and ran into the room. She stopped at the doorway when she saw Kido lying face-down with blood spilling from his wrist. " _Kido!_ "

"You _know_ this young man?" The man kneeling next to Kido wore a long white coat and a pair of glasses.

"Yes! He's my friend. What happened to him?!" She ran to kneel beside the young psychic and saw his eyes were wide open. "Kido…?"

" _Kido!_ "

Sayomi looked up to see a large crowd of men and women dressed similarly to the man in front of her. Then she saw her charge make his way through. " _Yusuke!_ "

" _Sayomi!_ " Yusuke quickly made his way to her side to check on Kido.

"So you _know_ this boy, too?!" A frantic doctor asked. "He'll be okay, we found him in time!"

"Hey!" Another physician yelled into the hallway. "Would someone _please_ call the police?!"

"The attacker's posing as a doctor!"

"Alert all floors! He may still be in the hospital!"

"If he's _not_ one of the regular doctors here…" Yusuke glared as he scanned the room of doctors. "Then he's not one of these guys! But this just happened, so he can't be far!"

"I came as soon as I heard the scream," Sayomi told the boy. "When I got here, the doctor who found him said the imposter had just run away."

"Why didn't you _go after him?!_ " Yusuke yelled.

"I was _worried_ about _Kido,_ Yusuke!" Sayomi snapped. "I couldn't just _leave_ him!"

"There's plenty of doctors here!" Yusuke argued. "You probably could've _caught_ him by now!" He growled and turned to Kido. "Tell me where he _went,_ Kido! And what did he look like?!"

"He can't answer you! He's _paralyzed_ from shock!" A doctor informed Yusuke.

"Aw, cripes!" Yusuke looked down at the boy. "Kido, hang on! We'll _get_ this guy! Stay put, okay?!"

Before Yusuke and Sayomi could take off, Kido froze them in place. Sayomi looked down and noticed he was laying on their shadows. _He's opened his territory!_

" _Why_ don't you want us to go?! Are you saying…" Yusuke stared down at Kido in disbelief. "You want us to _stay_ with you?! We would, but we gotta try to catch this guy!"

Sayomi stared down at Kido and bit her lip. _He doesn't want us to go? There has to be a reason… He knows everyone is in danger, so why would he try to keep us from catching the guy? Unless…_ She scanned the room of doctors but she couldn't pinpoint who exactly it could be. _They all look the same to me. And didn't that first guy say he ran away?_

"What the…?"

A doctor's voice snapped Sayomi from her thoughts. She looked down and her eyes widened. _He's moving his shadow...!_

Kido's shadow hand traced letters on the floor with his own blood. He started with the letter K and began to spell out a word.

" _Kamiya?!_ " Yusuke read aloud. "Is that the guy's _name?!_ "

Kido fainted, unable to answer Yusuke's question.

" _Gah!_ "

Sayomi and Yusuke looked up just as two doctors were attacked. Sayomi recognized the first doctor who had seen the "imposter". He was crouched down, smirking as his colleagues fell to the floor in their own blood. _So it was_ him!

Kamiya glared up at them and said, "Slight change of plan. Everyone in this hospital's going to _die!_ "

" _It's you! You're the Doctor!_ " Yusuke yelled. He and Sayomi quickly jumped out of the way as he attacked.

" _Shah!_ " The Doctor swung his arm like a knife, trying to cut them down like the staff.

"We can _move_ again!" Yusuke landed in a kneeling crouch, ready to dodge again. "Kido's ability lost effect when he passed out!"

 _Kido?!_ Sayomi looked down at the boy with worry as he continued to bleed out on the floor.

"I'd hoped to play 'good ol' Dr. Kamiya' a while longer…" The Doctor conjured more virus carrying insects. He stood up straight and slipped a hand into his pocket. "But now I'll settle for spreading the suffering around. My aura virus is quite potent. The weaker your mind is, the faster you die. Those friends of yours might hang on for 10 more minutes…"

" _You're goin' down now!_ " Yusuke charged and released a volley of punches on the mad doctor. Every blow hit his face until he fell down on his back. "Now that I know your ability _won't work_ if you're _unconscious, I'll punch your lights out!_ "

"Punch my lights…? Heh heh heh… Ha ha ha hee hee! No way, kid!" The Doctor jumped back to his feet and tried to stab Yusuke with both hands like a praying mantis. " _Yaa ha ha!_ "

Yusuke weaved around every slash and landed a strong punch to Kamiya's stomach. The Doctor crashed through the window, landing on his back in the hallway. Yusuke went after him while Sayomi ran back to Kido's side.

"Kido, hang in there…" She lifted his wrist and began to heal the cut. Once he was okay, she lifted him onto one the nearby beds.

Sayomi ran out to the hall just in time to see Yusuke release a Reigun blast. It hit the Doctor's left arm, severing it completely, then crashed through a window to the outside. Her eyes widened as he seemed immune to the pain from losing a limb. "What's _up_ with this guy?"

"You're no longer human. That'll make this easier," Yusuke said with resolve.

"I wouldn't count on that. Not only am I a master cutter…" The Doctor picked up his severed arm. He adjusted it to the stump and traced the wound with his other hand.

"Huh?!" Yusuke and Sayomi could only watch as the Doctor patched himself up.

Kamiya moved both arms, as if the injury never happened. He grinned, despite the blood running down his face. "I'm also a reattachment specialist."

"You're _crazy…_ " Sayomi couldn't believe her eyes. _The power's gotten to him. How did a healer become such a crazed killer? Is that what will happen to me if I keep fighting?_

"My ability is 'Doctor,' yet I murder with glee. It seems our abilities are shaped by our personal tastes and proclivities."

"Oh, I agree. You're one of the _seven,_ aren't you?" Yusuke glared down at the man.

The Doctor's smirk became a dark scowl. "You _know_ about…?"

"Yeah, but enough about me. I wanna know about you," Yusuke said calmly. "More to the point, who and where your partners are. You guys got a hideout?"

The Doctor smirked. Then he dashed forward, reaching for Yusuke with a maniacal grin. " _Fool! Here's my answer!_ "

Kamiya slashed at Yusuke with his arm. Yusuke dodged every strike and landed a powerful right cross to his face. The Doctor flipped back to his feet, but he was shaking. "I'd surely be passed out from pain if my endogenous opiates weren't pumping me up."

"His what?" Sayomi watched the human from behind Yusuke.

"Withdraw your territory and you can live… in jail. That's the deal," Yusuke negotiated.

"Withdrawing my territory won't stop the disease. Only snuffing out my aura will do that. As for jail… No thanks."

"Then you leave me no choice." Yusuke's glare darkened.

"So it seems… Heh heh…" Kamiya smirked and pointed at himself. "Of course, that means you'd go to jail… as an intruder who's murdered a helpless human physician!"

Yusuke dashed forward and threw a straight right cross. The Doctor jumped out of the way, just nearly dodging the detective's attack. Instead, Yusuke left a large crater in the wall. Kamiya got to his feet and scowled at Yusuke.

"I'll still do what I have to do," Yusuke said calmly.

"Really? Then why hesitate as you did with the Reigun?" Kamiya asked.

"H-help me!"

Sayomi gasped and looked past the doctor to the hallway behind him. A young nurse was covered in the same sickly spots as Yanagisawa and Murota.

" _Stay back!_ " Yusuke warned urgently.

The Doctor took advantage of the distraction. He made his way behind the woman and brought his hand up to her throat. "Freeze, boy… or her head comes off. See? I've made it easy for you. Let me leave… and I'll release her, and you won't have my blood on your hands."

Yusuke clenched his teeth angrily. "Do you _know_ what you're doing?"

"Oh, yes…" Kamiya answered calmly. "I'm trying to cut and run. Was that not clear enough?"

" _No!_ " Yusuke yelled. "As _one_ of the _seven…_ the _hole_ you're helping to open will put the whole world in _mortal danger!_ And the _demons_ that crawl from it won't think twice about _offing_ you! What you're doing is _suicide!_ "

"I'm quite aware of that." Kamiya began to inch back with his hostage. "I've lived my life with no idea how to die. I won't be done in by disease or old age. Death by demon, though, has a nice ring to it, if it includes the rest of humanity. Me, atop a pile of corpses… what could be better?"

"You dying by yourself!" The nurse said defiantly. She held a jar with some clear liquid and splashed it at the Doctor's face.

" _Aargh! Ah!_ " He raised his hand to his eye in pain as it sizzled and emitted white smoke. " _Blast! Rarrgh!_ "

Kamiya released the nurse, slashing her stomach open as he threw her down. As she fell, the nurse transformed and Yanagisawa hit a wall. He was in a nurse's outfit and his skin was still patchy.

" _Yana?!_ " Yusuke was surprised by the unexpected help.

"Heh…" Yanagisawa glared up at the Doctor. "Gotcha, sucker…"

Kamiya held his face in pain. "You're one of the gifted, yet so badly infected you shouldn't even be able to move! What kind of _human_ are you?!"

"Odd question, coming from you." Everyone turned to see Genkai at the end of the hall with her arms crossed. She was blocking the Doctor's escape route. "End of the road, friend."

"This is my final warning…" Yusuke offered with contained anger. "Release everyone from your territory, from the disease, or… _your life ends now._ "

 _Yusuke…_ Sayomi watched the detective worriedly from her peripheral. _Are you really going to kill another human? I understand the necessity, but…_ She watched as the Doctor opened his white coat to reveal a hidden pocket. _What's that?!_

"Got it." Kamiya smirked. "I lose. I've got a serum that'll do the trick. Here…" He pulled out a small case and opened it. Inside were several small vials of green liquid.

"This for real?" Yusuke questioned.

"It is! I _swear!_ " Kamiya flinched, holding up the case. "I don't want to die now! It's too soon!"

 _Is he_ really _just gonna give up like that?_ Sayomi watched as Yusuke began to approach the madman.

" _Don't do it!_ " Everyone turned to see Murota. He was as sick and weak as Yanagisawa, yet he crawled on his hands and knees to warn Yusuke. " _He's trying to draw you in! That stuff… It's just glucose!_ "

"Grr…" Kamiya snapped the case shut, glaring down at the boxer for exposing him. He threw the case to the floor and yelled, " _Rrrargh!_ "

"That's it, man…" Yusuke's cold glare showed no more mercy.

" _Shut up!_ " Kamiya jumped at Yusuke, reaching out to grab him.

Yusuke stopped him without holding back. He threw over a dozen punches to the Doctor's face, sending him crashing through a window to the lot outside. He bounced before landing face-up on his back. He twitched a couple times before he stopped moving altogether.

"Oh…" Yanagisawa watched as his complexion returned to normal. "The spots… are _gone!_ He must be knocked out, or…"

The hospital staff and patients began to rouse from the Doctor's virus. They got to their feet and rushed around to help the victims.

"Call the cops!"

"Hurry!"

 _Is he dead?_ Sayomi stared at the motionless body outside and snuck a glance at Yusuke. He was glaring down at his fist with clenched teeth. _He really didn't have a choice… He did what needed to be done… but he's still…_

"Crap!" Yusuke cursed quietly.

 _Bamp!_

Sayomi and Yusuke looked outside to see Genkai kneeling next to the Doctor. She brought her fist down on his chest.

"Genkai?!" Yusuke asked curiously.

"Hack…!" Kamiya gasped for air and laid still, but he remained unconscious.

"Don't worry, he'll pull through," Genkai assured the confused boy. "I'd rather his death didn't weigh on you. He's not worth it."

Sayomi let out a sigh of relief. _At least he won't have that on his conscious. But what if he's not so lucky next time?_


	40. Chapter 40

_It's already been two days since we fought Kamiya._ Sayomi stared at the skyline from the roof of Yusuke's school. _We scrammed before the cops arrived. Yusuke said we didn't want to get caught by them. We were late meeting Kurama's group, but after that we split up and swore we wouldn't venture out alone. Turns out they were followed so they left in case it was a trap. Botan managed to help Yana, but Kido was too weak and had to go back into the hospital. His physical wounds were healed, but he blew his metaphysical stack when he moved his shadow. We can't let our guard down for a second. Six dire enemies remain!_

"Kamiya knew he was _doomed_ once the Demon Plane portal was finished," Kuwabara said. He and Yusuke were sitting on the roof with Sayomi, eating their lunch. "It's _crazy,_ man! They _don't care_ that they're cutting their own throats?"

"That's about it," Yusuke answered through a mouthful of food.

"What a buncha _psychos!_ " Kuwabara yelled.

"They're not the first humans with such impulses," Yusuke reasoned.

"But it's so abstract. I can barely deal with reality." Kuwabara opened another package of sweet bun. He tossed one to Sayomi who sniffed it curiously before opening it and taking a bite.

"As for that, we have two weeks to find the portal's center and close it," Yusuke reminded him.

" _Yusuke! Big-time problem!_ " Botan slammed through the door to the roof, waving her briefcase frantically.

"Huh?" Yusuke looked over at his assistant curiously. "What _now,_ Botan?"

She raised a finger and said, "We _thought_ we had _two weeks_ to close the portal, but _in fact_ we only have _one!_ "

"What?!" Yusuke yelled. "How'd we _lose_ a week?!"

Botan kneeled down and opened the briefcase. "I'll let Lord Koenma explain."

Sayomi made her way to the group so she could see the tiny ruler. _Does it have to do with what Kurama's group investigated?_

Koenma appeared on the screen in his toddler body. He was seated at a desk with his hands clasped in front of him. "I'm afraid it's true, Yusuke. We have only one week to close the portal."

"But _why?!_ " Yusuke stressed. "What's _happened?!_ "

"We... Uh..." Koenma struggled to find the words to explain. "Reexamined the data, and found that..." He turned to a large screen behind him and turned it on. A large sphere appeared with notes written here and there. "The 1.3 KM diameter hole we measured has its center 550 M _underground._ The spherical distortion field actually originates from deep underground. The part of the sphere we initially measured was an off-center cross section projected on the surface!"

"Well, _that's_ not good," Sayomi commented.

"So what's the _story?!_ " Kuwabara groaned in annoyance. "I can't see what's on that screen, y'know!"

"It's got to do with geometry, I think..." Yusuke frowned at the screen, but the data escaped him. "But the upshot is, we have a week left, and hafta go _a lot further underground_ than we figured."

"But now we know the location – Irima Cave," Koenma continued. "It's a large cavern with a groundwater reservoir and an entrance in the suburbs."

"That's all we _need_ to know, then!" Yusuke glared and said, "Let's notify Kurama and _head over there!_ Hey, Kuwabara! You _hear_ me?!"

"Um... Well..." Kuwabara stood back with his hands in his pockets. He stared at Yusuke with a serious expression. "I gotta sit this one out."

"Why?" Yusuke blinked. "You _sick_ or somethin'?"

"Is it because of your aura?" Sayomi asked.

"Well, y'see... heh..." Kuwabara sheepishly scratched the back of his head and held up a ticket. " _Megalliga's first live concert in Japan is tonight!_ "

"What?!" Yusuke growled.

"Mega-what?" Sayomi arched a brow in confusion. "What's a concert?"

"You've _never_ been to a concert?!" Kuwabara reeled.

"What is it?" Sayomi asked.

"It's where different bands get up on stage and play music for crowds of _thousands_ of people!" Kuwabara beamed in excitement.

"Kuwabara!"

"C'mon, let's get going!"

Sayomi turned to see Kuwabara's three human friends walking towards them. _So, they're leaving early to go to this concert? That sounds better than sticking around here, I guess, but..._

"You're ducking out for a _concert?!_ " Yusuke growled and punched Kuwabara in the back of the head.

"It's _Megallica!_ A guy's gotta have _priorities!_ " Kuwabara argued. He returned Yusuke's punch with a kick and punch of his own. They scuffled on the roof while everyone else stood back out of their reach.

"What if it was _you_ with tickets to the _Mixed Martial Arts Championships?!_ " Kuwabara accused angrily.

" _Urk!_ " Yusuke twitched nervously. He turned away, clutching his head. "Ai yi yi yi yi yi yi!"

"Hey!" Botan yelled at the boy. "We've got a _job_ to do!"

"Too bad!" Kuwabara declared. "I've been looking forward to this for a _whole year!_ If I miss it, my life won't be _worth_ living! You can tell me the world's gonna spin out of control and hurtle into the sun! _I'm still going to this concert!_ "

"Fine!" Yusuke picked at his ear with his pinky. "But when things get _messed up,_ don't come cryin' t'me!"

Kuwabara grabbed Yusuke by the collar of his shirt. "Hah! Like I _would!_ "

Yusuke pouted and said, "You get a boo-boo, don't expect _me_ to kiss it and make it better!"

"Hey, you're talkin' to a guy with _guts of steel!_ " Kuwabara yelled, pointing at himself. Yusuke just shrugged and shook his head. "I don't need _your help_ to handle any crud that comes _my way!_ "

" _Arrr!_ " Yusuke and Kuwabara glared at each other, forgetting about everyone else.

Botan sighed. "You _two_ are humanity's best hope?"

"At least we have the week, right?" Sayomi watched as Kuwabara left with his friends. She looked at Yusuke. He was glaring at Kuwabara's back until they shut the door behind them. _This is unfortunate timing, though... I just hope Kuwabara will be okay for one night._

Later that evening, Sayomi and Botan followed Yusuke home. About an hour later, Genkai arrived with Kaito and Yanagisawa before the rain started to fall. They settled around a low glass table with tea and snacks. When Yusuke noticed someone missing, he flipped. " _What?! Kurama's not here either?!_ "

"He wasn't at school today," Kaito answered.

Yusuke began to quiver with rage. "Is _everyone_ playing hooky?!"

"To be fair, Yusuke, you do it all the time," Sayomi pointed out casually.

"Fine!" Yusuke yelled. "I'll tackle this _myself!_ "

"Hold it." Genkai kicked Yusuke in the back of the head. "The portal creator's not going anywhere. We have time to get in touch with Kurama."

"There've been a lot of _suicides_ at Irima Cave. Locals avoid it," Kaito informed the group.

"We need to prepare ourselves for this one, I think," Yanagisawa advised.

"Whatever!" Yusuke turned to the door and glared over his shoulder. "Look me up when you're _ready!_ "

"Where at?" Yana asked.

" _The nearest Pachinko parlor!_ "

"Grab me some cigs while you're out!" Atsuko quickly requested.

"Oh, _go puff_ on your _finger!_ " Yusuke turned to leave and slammed the door behind him.

"Yusuke! Wait up!" Sayomi got to her feet, but Genkai stopped her.

"Let him go, Sayomi."

Sayomi looked down at the old woman and raised an eyebrow. "But I thought..."

"Should he really go out alone like that?" Yanagisawa asked.

"Stupid people do stupid things." Genkai picked up her cup of tea and took a sip. "And he's worried about Kuwabara, I think."

Sayomi stared at the door. _So, he went looking for Kuwabara? I guess that means they won't be alone, right?_ She took her seat next to Genkai and reached for her tea.

"I wanted to talk to you, Sayomi." Genkai sat her cup down on the table and turned to the demoness. "I noticed you didn't jump into the fight with Yusuke and the Doctor."

Sayomi looked down at her tea. Her reflection stared back at her, worry and shame clear in her eyes. Sayomi took in a deep breath before answering. "I'm not allowed to. Koenma ordered me not to fight anymore."

"He saw your markings, did he?"

Sayomi nodded. "I know it's risky, but I don't know what else to do."

Genkai crossed her arms and asked, "Did you have these markings when you were training at my temple?"

"No." Sayomi shook her head. "They didn't start showing up until after our mission at Labyrinth Castle."

"Hmm..." Genkai stared at her cup and said, "When you trained with me, you were using your aura every day. And you had no issues fighting until then, right?"

"That's right," Sayomi confirmed. "In my meditations, I realized that it started when I used my aura to fight. But it was more effective than just using a weapon or my fists."

"That may be the case, but if it's that dangerous then it's probably best if you don't fight."

Sayomi sighed and her shoulders slumped. "Yeah, that was Koenma's reasoning, too."

"Yet you enjoy fighting," Genkai continued. "Sure, you can heal pretty well, but you seem to be more in your element when you fight. The real issue boils down to your abilities."

"So, what should I do, Master?" Sayomi looked at the old woman. "I don't want to just sit back and watch everyone get hurt then heal them afterwards. I want to be able to fight _beside_ them. I don't want to be protected."

"Pardon my intrusion, but what _are_ your abilities exactly?" Kaito asked.

Sayomi turned to the boy and said, "I'm a shadow demon. I guess I mostly heal people, but when I fight I can do a lot more. Or I could use them neutrally, but it really depends on the situation."

"Can you elaborate?" Kaito pushed up his glasses in curiosity.

"Well..." Sayomi stared down at her tea as she thought about her various techniques. "I can become the shadows themselves or become partially shadow. I also cover my weapon in shadows to attack or create a barrier. I can manifest chains out of shadows or use them to travel. I was thinking of stealing Kido's move with his permission."

"Interesting," Kaito muttered. "Your control is diverse yet limited. You would probably not be very helpful in a well-lit space."

"It _is_ harder, but not impossible." Sayomi lifted the hem of her cloak and said, "I can easily use this to create my own shadows to use if necessary."

"I see..." Kaito leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "So, these markings only get worse when you use these shadows to attack."

"Yeah, pretty much." Sayomi confirmed.

"With a little creativity, you could probably get away with fighting if you focus on your more passive abilities."

"What do you mean?" Sayomi sat up straight, giving the teen her full attention.

"You could rely on your weapon for attacks but use the shadows to tip the odds in your favor. Like perhaps making the immediate area darker or using the surrounding shadows to maneuver around your opponent. The possibilities are truly endless."

Sayomi listened to Kaito with wide eyes. _So long as I don't use the shadows themselves as a weapon, I should be okay?_

"That's one idea that could work," Genkai agreed. "You had no issues when I was training you. Who did you train with when you were preparing for the tournament? Yusuke neglected to give me a name."

Sayomi shifted her legs on her cushion and took a sip of tea before answering. "Hiei was training me... He pushed me to use my aura for longer periods of time to build my stamina and help me get over my fear."

"Hunh..." Genkai grunted. "Why does that not surprise me?"

"Didn't he realize how dangerous it was?" Yanagisawa asked.

Sayomi shook her head. "I was the one who asked him to help me. I figured, if I got strong enough, I would be able to handle it. But it only got worse."

"Try fighting without your aura and see how things go from there." Genkai took a sip of tea and said, "We'll need all the help we can get if we want to stop the tunnel from opening. Don't worry about Koenma. He's bossy, but he's only practicing caution at the sign of danger. Even _he_ can't deny that you'll be needed in this fight."

Sayomi felt a smile spread on her face. She finished her tea and nodded firmly. "Thank you, Master Genkai. I won't disappoint you. And thank _you,_ Kaito." The boy looked at her curiously. "You've given me some ideas to think about. Now I'll be able to really help stop this guy."

"Oh..." Kaito pushed up his glasses and turned away. "It was nothing. Just thinking out loud."

Sayomi chuckled, but let the issue go. _Now I can really be part of the team!_

They lapsed into conversation about how to go about handling the situation at Irima Cave. After a couple hours of discussion, Kaito and Yanagisawa departed. Soon after, the front door opened and Yusuke walked back inside. "I'm here."

" _You imbecile!_ " Genkai yelled and kicked the boy back out the door.

Yusuke skidded out on his back until he hit the wall outside. He sat up straight and yelled, "Knock it off! What's _with_ you?!"

"Didn't you go _help_ Kuwabara?!" Genkai glared down at the boy, clenching her fists to keep from striking him again.

"I _said_ I was gonna play Pachinko!" Yusuke argued.

"And yet I'd hoped..." Genkai scowled and crossed her arms. Then she got in Yusuke's face and pointed at him. "Listen! His _aura's proscribed_ right now! He's all but _defenseless!_ "

"It's _his_ fault!" Yusuke growled. "He coulda stayed with us, but instead he went off to a _stupid concert!_ " He sat back and crossed his arms and legs, glaring up at his teacher. "Besides, what does the enemy care about a guy with no aura?"

"Idiot!" Genkai snapped. "He still _has_ it, it's just _dampened down!_ "

Yusuke's eyes widened at the news and he stopped arguing.

"You don't notice _anything_ when you're not fighting, do you?" Genkai lectured the boy. "Well, try to notice _Kuwabara's chi_ next time you set eyes on him. You'll get a curious sense of anticipation, as if you were watching an egg about to hatch. Maybe then you'll realize you're not the only one achieving new levels of ability." Yusuke could only stare and listen as the information started to sink in. " _If_ you see him again, that is. The enemy may have other ideas."

" _Now_ you tell me! _I'm off!_ " Yusuke jumped to his feet and took off down the stairs.

"Hey! Wait for _me!_ " Botan called out, chasing after him.

"Yusuke!" Sayomi ran out after them. She pulled up her hood when they ran out into the rain. _What were the names of those psychics again? There was the Doctor, Game Master, Sniper... Um... Crap! There were too many of them!_

Her feet splashed through the puddles as she followed Yusuke and Botan through the town. They ran non-stop until they reached a large domed stadium. The area was empty and already locked up for the night.

"Dammit!" Yusuke clenched his teeth and looked around the empty lot. "Where the hell would he go now?!"

"He probably went home," Sayomi suggested.

"Yeah, right," Yusuke scoffed. "Knowing him he probably went to something stupid like karaoke."

"Where should we look first?" Botan asked in worry.

"Let's search around town first, then we'll check his place," Yusuke said. He took off running down a random street with the girls following after him.

 _Kuwabara! Please be okay!_ Sayomi tried to reach out and sense the boy's aura, but she couldn't lock onto anything.

They ran to the nearest karaoke bar, but Kuwabara wasn't there. After that they searched the nearest arcade. As they ran, the rain became heavier and lightning would flash in the sky. Sayomi found herself feeling nostalgic. The loud thunder reminded her of her dying king. _I hope the old man is holding out okay..._

When they reached Kuwabara's residence, an older man with a dark goatee answered the door. "No, Kazuma said he was going out with his friends tonight. He hasn't come home yet so I assume he's still out. Try again tomorrow."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Kuwabara." Botan bowed at the man politely before he shut the door.

"Now where do we look?" Sayomi asked.

"Let's go back to my place. Maybe the idiot made it there in one piece," Yusuke suggested.

"I hope you're right, Yusuke," Botan said.

Sayomi followed behind them as they ran back to Yusuke's apartment. The rain had already stopped and they were soaked to the bone. When they reached the front door, they stopped short. "Guys, I think we found him..."

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke ran to the unconscious teen on his doorstep. He was carrying his three friends on his back, along with another young boy. He had blond hair and he wore a yellow hoodie with jeans. "Who is this guy?"

"By the looks of it, he's probably one of Sensui's people," Botan suggested. "They're all breathing, but they're in bad shape. If we don't hurry, this young man will bleed to death."

"Let me take care of them," Sayomi volunteered. "We'll get them inside and I'll patch them all up. Then you can handle it from there."

"I'll help you, Sayomi," Botan smiled at the demoness. "Two healers are better than one, right?"

Sayomi smirked and nodded, accepting her offer. Sayomi and Yusuke took care of handling the unconscious boys. Once inside, Genkai helped the girls with healing their wounds. Kurama had also showed up sometime during their absence.

Once the wounded were all treated, Yusuke and Kurama took Kuwabara's friends to a separate room to find out what happened. After about 20 minutes, they sent the boys home. Sayomi waited until the two boys came back into Yusuke's room to wait for the young stranger to wake up. They only had to wait about an hour or two.

" _Gasp! Unh!_ " The young stranger sat up straight from bed and regretted it instantly. His torso was wrapped in bandages but his wounds were still tender. When he opened his eyes, he froze.

Yusuke sat backwards in a chair, staring straight at the boy. Kurama and Sayomi were standing next to him on either side. Kurama had his hands hidden in his pockets while Sayomi crossed her arms. Yusuke smirked and said, "Hey."

"Wh-where am I?" The boy asked.

"My room," Yusuke answered. He pointed his thumb behind him where Kuwabara was snoring in his boxers. He was covered in small gauze pads and band-aids. "We got back from looking for him and there he was, collapsed in front of the apartment with four other guys in tow."

The blond boy glared at them, aware of the situation he was in.

Kurama picked up the conversation after Yusuke. "The other three are okay and told us what happened. We erased their memories of that and sent them on their way."

"You, on the other hand, get to hang with us," Yusuke said sternly. "So, tell us about you and your pals... or we'll ask Yana."

The boy glared at them for a moment longer, gauging whether he should tell them or not. Eventually, he said, "We don't believe we deserve to live."

Sayomi and the boys blinked at his answer. _So, they're suicidal maniacs?_

"You mean... _all_ of you?" Kurama asked.

" _All humans!_ " The boy blurted. "If you saw that _video,_ you'd know _why!_ "

"Video? Of what?" Yusuke asked curiously.

The boy turned to him and said, "It's called the Black Chapter. It clearly shows what a _wretched species_ we are."

"Are humans really that bad?" Sayomi asked.

" _The Chapter Black!_ " Kurama exclaimed with recognition.

" _You've heard of it?_ " Yusuke asked.

Kurama nodded. "It's a highly classified record of humanity's darkest side, kept locked away in the Underworld's giant library. The tape contains thousands of hours of the most atrocious crimes committed by humans throughout history. As you might expect, Hiei was keen to get his hands on it. I knew about it, but I had no idea it was being used for something like this. Now that I think about it, it makes sense."

 _Hiei wanted to get it?_ Sayomi wondered to herself. _I guess that doesn't surprise me, but why? Does he really hate humans that much? What is doing now, anyways?_

The young boy pointed an accusing finger and yelled, "You guys play at being so goody-goody, but you don't know what people are really _capable_ of! If you saw that video you'd change _your_ tune on the spot and throw in with us! So – "

"So _what?!_ " Yusuke got in the boy's face and glared down at him. "Are you saying _all humans_ should be demon chow?!"

" _Yes._ " The boy answered with certainty. His wide eyes expressed his desperation to convince them of the truth. "We're all beasts... savages... You don't realize it because this is a relatively peaceful country." He began to shake as he built up a nervous sweat. "But have you ever seen people lined up to be shot, their corpses to be added to the maggoty heaps of bodies around them? Did you ever watch people who knew they'd soon be 'disposed' of being used as playthings by their sneering tormentors?"

Sayomi began to shiver as she imagined the events he clearly described. _I thought it was mostly demons who were so gruesome, but this just sounds insane..._

The boy's voice raised as he was assaulted by the memories of events he was forced to witness. " _Have you ever witnessed a child being murdered before the mother's eyes?! And a mother before her child?! While their killers enjoyed every sadistic moment?! People will kill people and not only smile about it, they'll sleep soundly afterwards! It's the same for you, you just don't know it!_ "

Yusuke calmly took in his words until he was finished. Then he asked, "And you're one of these people?"

"Of course!" The boy answered automatically. "We _all_ are!"

Yusuke got up from his seat and said, "Y'know, I asked Kuwabara why he saved you. You know what he said?" The boy only stared at Yusuke, breathing heavily after his heated rant. Yusuke looked the boy in the eye and said, "He said he saw someone begging... no, _screaming_ for help. I thought he was just being a doofus. But now I see he was _right..._ in spades."

The boy stared at Yusuke. Then he began to tear up. In seconds, he shook in place as tears spilled down his cheeks. His eyes were open wide and he whispered, "I... I can't sleep without the nightmares... All those people dying so horribly! I was jolted awake just now because they were _staring_ at me! As if... As if I was the one responsible! And maybe they're right! As each day passes, I feel more and more that _I am!_ " He hung his head and clutched at the sheets. "The _guilt_ is driving me crazy! I feel I have to atone, but how? I needed someone... _Anyone..._ to tell me how I can be forgiven! Aw man, I'm... I'm doomed..."

Sayomi, Yusuke, and Kurama stared down at the boy in silence. Sayomi couldn't help but feel sorry for the kid. _It's not like he was the one killing them, right?_

"I have no answer for him," Kurama whispered quietly.

"Me neither," Yusuke whispered back.

Sayomi followed them out into the hall, leaving the boy alone in the room.

"In fact, there may not be one," Yusuke continued. He looked at Kurama and his face paled. "A video of all the _bad_ people have done... that does sound pretty horrible. I wouldn't wanna see it."

"Yeah, neither would I," Sayomi agreed. "I thought most demons were bad, but I didn't think humans could be that extreme."

"I don't blame you two." Kurama agreed. "Most wouldn't last five minutes without falling into abject despair."

Yusuke stopped walking and glared at the red-head. "Hey, you trying to scare me?"

"It's totally one-sided..." Kurama explained. "But very compelling, and hideously persuasive. So much so that few in the Underworld are allowed to watch it."

"You _are_ trying to scare me." Yusuke glared at Kurama over his shoulder.

The red-head smiled and waved his hand apologetically. "Sorry."

"You're even giving _me_ the creeps, Kurama." Sayomi shivered.

Kurama smile and asked, "Did I tell you where I was yesterday?"

"Uh... no, not yet," Yusuke answered.

"I guess we were kinda distracted by everything," Sayomi reasoned. _I don't even remember noticing Kurama was here until they talked to Kuwabara's friends._

"I went to see Koenma," Kurama confessed.

"You coulda just used the TV," Yusuke said.

Kurama slid Yusuke a sideways glance and said, "I required a face-to-face. He knows more about this than he's telling... especially about the ringleader."

" _What?!_ " Yusuke gasped.

Sayomi's eyes narrowed at the news. _He hid this kind of information from us? Why?_

"He was evasive with me..." Kurama explained. "But I think if we have one more go..."

Sayomi blinked as Yusuke stormed towards Botan's briefcase and turned it on. " _Koenma! Front and center!_ You've got some _explaining_ to do, dude!"

"Here goes..." Kurama muttered.

"Now that Yusuke knows, there's no stopping him..." Sayomi quietly agreed.

The picture faded into view as Koenma shamefully faced the screen. "So... That video is being used to recruit human agents."

"So you _know_ who's using it?!" Yusuke interrogated angrily. "Why didn't you _say so?!_ "

"There was no _proof_ of it... and... I really hoped I was wrong."

"Yeah? How come?" Yusuke asked.

Koenma stared at Yusuke and said, "Because this ringleader is one Shinobu Sensui. And he was once... _an Underworld Detective._ "

 _What?!_ Sayomi couldn't believe her ears. _Someone like Yusuke?_

Koenma turned to the screen behind him and turned it on. Sayomi recognized a younger version of the man they saw at Swarm City. "That's him at the time. When he was still in high school."

"We saw him, but he was _older!_ " Yusuke recognized the man too.

"He had a strong sense of justice," Koenma continued. "Upright to a fault, one could say. He disappeared about ten years ago. Shortly before that we would hear him wondering aloud about the human race... Did it deserve our protection, did it even deserve to survive? Then he vanished, as did the video. But why wait till now...? He was your _predecessor,_ Yusuke, so be careful! I'll be at your place shortly! Koenma out!"

Sayomi bit her lip as she took in the new information. _So, a former Underworld Detective is behind this? Was he the one who hunted us down back then or not? I just hope Yusuke will be able to handle him._


	41. Chapter 41

"A former Underworld Detective, eh?" Yusuke asked, annoyed with the man sitting at the head of the dining table. Koenma sat quietly in his human body.

"How did it happen?" Kurama asked curiously. "Why did he turn against humanity?"

Koenma took a moment to gather his thoughts. "His sense of justice was coupled with stubbornness. Demons are evil incarnate. They should be utterly eradicated. Sensui was born with a powerful sixth sense. Demons and evil spirits had tried to eliminate him since he was a kid. Demons were his enemy – and thus humanity's enemy – for as long as he could remember. Then something happened that... changed his perspective. I'd sent him on a mission that turned out to be his last. The objective was to close a portal to the Demon Plane."

 _What?_ Sayomi's eyes widened at the unexpected coincidence. _So, this has happened before?_

Yusuke and Kuwabara also looked interested in the news. Kuwabara asked, "Same as now, huh?"

"But on a smaller scale," Koenma answered. "Just a summoning circle about 10 M across to invoke lesser demons. It was created by the Black Book Club... a massive smuggling organization trading in creatures of all kinds. The summoned demons were captured and sold for enormous sums of money. One man came to the forefront as a specialist in demon capture. His name... was Sakyo."

" _Sakyo!_ " Kurama recalled the man.

"That guy in the suit from the finals?" Sayomi asked.

"He'd been at it since I was in kindergarten?" Yusuke asked in disbelief.

Koenma ignored their questions and continued with his recollection. "He came up with the idea of hiring demons as bodyguards and brokers for capturing other demons. He was 26 at the time. We received word of a pending transaction at a mountain villa and sent in Sensui and his partner, Itsuki. The demons in Sakyo's employ at the time were not nearly as powerful as the Toguro brothers. The raid was a success, and Sensui and Itsuki had the executives of the organization, including Sakyo, cornered. But then Sensui saw something unfortunate. Bitter truth, of a kind... nothing less than... an _inhuman cesspool of evil._ "

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Koenma let his words sink in before he said, "Humans torturing demons to satisfy their heinous appetites. It was the total antithesis of Sensui's values."

Sayomi shivered as she tried to imagine such a scene. _A time and place where demons were captured... then_ tortured _by humans... I can't even imagine what he must've seen that made him crack._

Kuwabara made eye contact with Yusuke and said, "Sounds like when you, me, and Sayomi went to stop Tarukane, Yusuke."

Yusuke nodded in agreement.

"Yes, but with a stark difference," Koenma clarified. "Sensui went on a rampage, slaughtering everyone... He began to nurture an obsession with the Black Chapter... and to question humanity itself. In hindsight, his sense of justice may have been _too_ strong. He could not let _any evil_ he perceived go _unpunished._ He now sees evil in the entire human race and seeks to make it pay for its sins."

"That's the problem with guys like that," Yusuke pointed out, interrupting his boss. "They flit from _one extreme_ to the other!"

"That's why my current detective is a delinquent," Koenma elaborated.

"Right!" Kurama perked up at the revelation. "Looser morals!"

"Yusuke has demonstrated ass-kicking equality. I've seen things I can never un-see," Sayomi confessed.

"Enough about _that,_ guys," Yusuke growled.

"Why Sensui's doing this now, after ten years, I've no idea. I wish I did." Koenma looked at the faces in the room and said, "But I can say this... he won't stop until he's achieved his ambitions."

"Hmm..." Yusuke and Kurama mulled over Koenma's story.

Sayomi listened, trying to imagine what kind of enemy they were up against. _If it's another detective like Yusuke, is it possible I chose the wrong human? But, Yusuke seems so much like the old man..._

Suddenly, everyone got to their feet and turned to glare out the window. On the roof of the building across the street stood the devil himself. Standing beside him was another young human with a bright red jacket.

" _Sensui!_ " Yusuke glared at the man who smirked down at him.

The boy next to him raised his hand to aim a bunch of dice at them. He raised his other hand, getting ready to flick his ammo. He adjusted his aim just slightly to the right.

" _Shoot!_ " Kuwabara gasped and took off into the hallway. " _They're after Mitarai!_ "

As soon as Kuwabara left, the Sniper fired off the dice at the next room. Sayomi fought the urge to check on them. _It sounds like Kuwabara made it in time!_ When she saw Sensui's lips move, she raised an eyebrow. _What?_

"What's he _saying?!_ " Yusuke asked through clenched teeth.

"Apparently Mitarai was a dupe," Kurama answered.

"Exactly," Genkai confirmed.

Yusuke turned to them in open shock. "You _heard_ that?!"

"Well..." Kurama glanced at Yusuke briefly. "I read his lips."

"You can _do_ that?" Sayomi asked in wonder. _I wish_ I _could pull that off!_

"It takes practice," Genkai informed the girl.

"I can't take this anymore!" Yusuke growled. "I'm outta here!" He ran out the room and dashed out the front door. Sayomi and Kuwabara jumped out with him.

"Leave this to _us!_ " Yusuke yelled at Kuwabara as they raced down the stairs. "You're _hurt,_ and out of aura!"

"Heh! Didn't I _tellya?_ " Kuwabara asked. "When I fought Mitarai, _my powers came back!_ Big time! My aura sword looks different, too, so I must've hit a _new level!_ "

"Hmph!" Yusuke smirked. "Hope you're right!"

 _A new aura sword?!_ Sayomi stared at Kuwabara with wide eyes. _So, he beat Mitarai with his new weapon? I wonder what it looks like..._

" _There they are!_ " Yusuke yelled as they reached the bottom of the stairs. The former Underworld Detective and the Sniper were already waiting for them in the street. " _Sensui!_ "

The ex-detective turned to them and raised two fingers. Sayomi and the boys watched him warily as he spoke. "The portal will be finished in _two_ more days."

" _What?!_ " Yusuke yelled.

"So you thought it would take longer?" Sensui asked. "I kinda figured you might need an update. Heh heh heh..."

 _Just two days?_ Sayomi's fingers twitched as she tried not to reach for her weapon too soon. _They came all this way just to tell us_ that? _But why?_

Before long, they were joined by Genkai, Kurama, and Koenma. The prince locked eyes with his old detective. "Sensui."

"Ah, Koenma..." Sensui greeted his former boss.

"These guys your new foes?" Atsuko asked with a toothbrush in her mouth.

"What're _you_ doing out here?!" Yusuke reeled at the sight of his mother outside in her nightgown.

"Stay back, Yusuke." The boy turned to Koenma curiously as he said, "Sensui can fire aura blasts, just like you. And who knows how much more _powerful_ he's become since I last saw him?"

"Really?" Yusuke smirked. "Interesting..."

" _Yusuke! No!_ " Koenma warned.

Yusuke ignored Koenma and calmly walked forward. "Hey, predecessor. I hear you went off your rocker."

"If that's what you call awakening to the truth," Sensui corrected.

"I'll _stop_ you," Yusuke declared.

"You'll _try,_ " Sensui countered.

Sniper moved out of the way just as the two detectives began to emit aura.

"Hey!" Kuwabara yelled. "We're right in the _middle of town!_ "

"Hah!" Yusuke immediately dashed forward, then quickly jumped to the right at the last second. He threw a right cross, but Sensui blocked it with his left arm and countered with a powerful right kick that knocked Yusuke off his feet.

"Unh! _Arrgh!_ " Yusuke jumped back up and threw another right cross, faster than before. Sensui deflected it, shrugging it off to the side. "Wha...?" Sensui followed through with a left kick. "Gah!" Yusuke raised his leg in time to block, but the hit still sent him skidding back across the pavement. He glared up at Sensui, ignoring the blood in his eye and clutching his side in pain.

"Yusuke!" Sayomi yelled in worry. _What's going on? He's blocking all of Yusuke's attacks! Just how strong is this guy?_

"What's the _deal?!_ " Kuwabara shouted. "You _started_ this dustup! _Finish it!_ "

"I think he's trying..." Sayomi muttered.

"Bad match for Yusuke," Kurama explained. "Sensui doesn't dodge or directly block attacks. He deflects and counters while maintaining his stance."

" _Lightning Kickboxing!_ " Genkai recognized the style.

"What's that?" Sayomi asked in wonder.

"Correct," Sensui confirmed. "Lightning kickboxing: A martial art based on leg techniques. The upper body focuses on defense maneuvers (used as transitions to offensive techniques), while the opponent is subdued by destructive kicks. One is only allowed to learn this after mastering many other disciplines. It is thus considered the highest style of hand-to-hand combat... to a _point!_ "

Sensui raised his hand and manifested a small bright orb of aura that began to emit static. "I've adapted it by adding the element of aura. Creating ' _Aura Lightning Kickboxing'!_ " He dropped the orb and said, "Here's a sample."

" _What're you – ?_ "

Yusuke was cut off as Sensui kicked the orb. " _Crimson Lightning Ball!_ "

" _Watch out!_ " Yusuke warned.

The ball of aura zoomed over their heads and changed direction. It collided with the building behind them and there was a loud explosion.

"It went right into our _apartment!_ " Atsuko cried.

"Hey! He's _trashed my room!_ " Yusuke yelled.

" _We weren't_ what he was aiming at!" Koenma realized.

" _Botan and Mitarai are still in there!_ " Kuwabara panicked.

"Are you _serious?!_ " Sayomi reeled.

Sensui jumped up into the air and Yusuke jumped in front of his friends. "Genkai, Sayomi, Koenma! Go help the others! _Sensui's mine!_ "

"But – " Sayomi tried to protest but Genkai cut her off.

"Leave it to us! Just don't let Yusuke do anything too stupid!" With that, she and Koenma took off towards the apartment.

Sayomi watched them leave until she heard Sensui speak. "I am, eh? Nice to be wanted."

" _Shut up! I'm serious!_ " Yusuke dashed forward and threw a right cross. Sensui raised his arm to deflect it, but Yusuke pulled back and stepped to Sensui's left. He threw a series of punches, but Sensui only needed to deflect one. "Huh..."

While Yusuke was caught off guard, Sensui kicked Yusuke hard in the stomach. Yusuke fell back, but immediately sat up again. His shirt was torn from the kick and his skin was red. "Koff! Nice one..."

Sensui stared down at Yusuke and said, "Your moves are quite perfunctory. You need to brush up on the basics."

"Then try _me!_ " Kuwabara charged in from behind, his hand out and open. " _I'm back! And I'm better than ever!_ " He manifested his aura and summoned his aura sword. " _Huh?!_ " He held up his weapon in confusion. "This looks like my _old_ sword! What _gives?!_ "

"Kuwabara!" Sayomi growled. _His old sword? I thought he unlocked a_ new _power! Can he not use it willingly yet?!_

" _Never mind! Hyaah!_ " Kuwabara brought his sword down on Sensui. The ex-detective swiftly deflected the sword with his open palm. "What?!"

 _He can even block_ swords?! Sayomi watched with wide eyes until she saw a flash of red in her peripheral. _Huh?_

Sensui kicked Kuwabara down and Kurama ran in with his Rose Whip at the ready. Just as he was about to attack, a truck screeched into view from around a corner. A young boy was driving while a tall man hung outside the window.

"Rats!" Kurama cursed. " _New_ trouble!"

"Nice timing, gents," Sensui smirked.

The kid accelerated and was driving straight towards Kuwabara who was still getting to his feet. The large man reached out and his fingers extended like snakes.

" _Huh?!_ " Kuwabara panicked and froze.

The fingers constricted around Kuwabara and lifted him into the air. Sensui vaulted into the bed of the truck as the vehicle sped by.

" _Kuwabara!_ " Yusuke shouted. " _Hey! That's one of Older Toguro's tricks!_ "

"Damn, you're right!" Sayomi realized belatedly. _How is that even possible?!_

" _Lemme go!_ " Kuwabara screamed.

" _Hurf!_ "

" _Raagh!_ "

Kurama cracked his whip while Sayomi threw her sickle. Both weapons fell short as the truck weaved about the road and out of reach.

"Too far away!" Kurama confessed.

"Not for _me_ it ain't!" Yusuke aimed his Reigun on the speeding truck and fired off a large blast of aura. _"Ack! What've I done?! That was a full-force blast!_ "

"Full-force?" Kurama gasped. "It'll destroy the truck _and_ Kuwabara! Sorry to be blunt."

"What the _hell,_ Yusuke?!" Sayomi yelled. "Are you _trying_ to kill _Kuwabara_ , too?!"

" _Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!_ " Yusuke cursed at himself.

Just as the blast was closing in on the truck, Sensui conjured another ball of electric aura. He threw it straight into Yusuke's bullet, setting off another large explosion in the street. Sayomi looked through the smoke and could see Sensui standing with his arms crossed. He smiled and waved as they drove away.

Yusuke grinded his teeth in fury. He marched to a bike rack and broke one of the chains. " _I'll show 'im!_ "

"Yusuke!" Sayomi ran after him and instinctively became shadow. She conformed to the bike's shadow on the pavement as Yusuke hopped on and chased after them.

"Yusuke, _wait!_ " Kurama called out, too late. "Don't be a fool! _Come back!_ "


	42. Chapter 42

" _Outta my way! Rah!_ " Yusuke sped down the road on his stolen bicycle, passing by speeding cars but still unable to catch up with the truck. The two-lane street wound around a mountainside and Yusuke used the downhills to his advantage. He pedaled as fast as he could, pushing faster than the thing was designed to go. " _Raaagh! I'm gonna catch ya!_ "

Yusuke was gradually gaining on the truck when he heard an engine rev behind him. When he turned to look, he saw Sniper on a red motorcycle. He was riding without a helmet and he was aiming to flick a rock at Yusuke with both of his hands. Yusuke gasped when he realized what was about to happen. Sniper fired the pebble and hit the bike, successfully breaking off the back tire.

" _Eh?!_ " Yusuke jolted when he felt the impact and his bike crashed into the road. " _Aagh!_ " Yusuke was sent flying into the road and he skidded across the pavement. His shirt was shredded and he was covered in burns from his fall. He sat up and cringed in pain. "Ow! That _hurt!_ "

"Yusuke!" Sayomi manifested from the bike's shadow and ran to her charge. When she reached him, she saw his skin was red and hot from the crash.

Yusuke's eyes widened when he saw Sniper closing in on them.

Sniper aimed his finger at Yusuke and fired four simultaneous shots of chi. He shifted his aim and fired again at Sayomi. Yusuke looked down in confusion when he didn't feel any pain. Then he turned to glare at Sniper who screeched to a stop to face them.

Sayomi patted herself down. _What was that? I know I felt something, but I don't see or feel any wounds._

Sniper stared down at Yusuke with his bike idle. Yusuke glared up at Sniper, his burns already starting to heal. He groped the points where he felt Sniper's chi, trying to figure out his opponent. After a moment of silence, Sniper said, "You're _both marked_ now." He pointed at Yusuke and Sayomi and focused his aura. " _The Death Cross!_ I've placed _targets_ on you... Targets I _never miss._ "

"Whoa!" Yusuke looked down to see the small black dots. There was one on each arm, one on his chest and one on his abdomen. "What're these _weird marks?!_ " Small black rings began to appear around every mark. " _What?!_ They _are_ little targets! _Four_ of 'em!"

Sayomi looked down at her arms. She saw the same targets forming on her skin beneath her curse markings. _So he marked us? Why does that sound so wrong?!_

Sniper tossed up four rocks and shot them at Yusuke. He tossed four more rocks at Sayomi.

"Ah!" Sayomi quickly reached for her sickle and cut through each rock. She glared at Sniper and spilled the chain from its chamber.

" _Yikes!_ " Yusuke quickly swiped every rock out of the air before they could hit the targets. He glared at Sniper and crushed the rocks in his fists. " _Aargh!_ "

"Nice moves," Sniper complimented. "And you'll need them. I can strike anytime, from anywhere." Then he turned and sped off down the road.

"Hey!" Yusuke yelled angrily. "Come _back_ here!" He chased after him, pumping his legs to keep the motorcycle in sight. Sweat trickled down his body in streams and stung his eyes.

Sayomi did her best to keep up with him and focused on her breathing. She gripped her kusarigama and shifted her eyes to watch out for surprise attacks. "Well this sucks! So now we're moving targets for his shooting practice?!"

"Seems that way!" Yusuke growled. "I thought I told you to go with Genkai and Koenma!"

"Genkai told me to stay with you so you won't do anything stupid!" Sayomi argued.

"Ha! That's impossible and she knows it!"

"I wasn't gonna argue with her! Just look at the mess you got us into!"

"Good job stopping it from happening!"

"Just shut up and watch where you're going!"

They kept running until they found Sniper's motorcycle parked off the side of the road on a patch of grass. Sayomi scanned the trees while Yusuke looked up and down the road. Out of breath and drenched in sweat, Yusuke asked, "Where is he?! Where'll the next shots come from?!"

Sayomi expanded her senses until she felt tiny pricks of aura closing in on them fast. She pointed behind Yusuke and yelled, "Over there!"

Yusuke turned and saw a wave of small rocks flying towards them. " _A whole salvo!_ "

Sayomi began to spin the sickle, but Yusuke stepped in front of her. He blocked her view of the ammunition. " _Fine!_ I'll _swat_ 'em _all!_ " He clenched his fists and punched every rock until there was a line of dust around his feet. He shifted his eyes and shouted, " _See? Not as easy as you thought!_ "

"Yusuke!" Sayomi growled. "Let me _help_ you! You're not the _only one_ he marked!"

"No way!" Yusuke argued. "This fight is between me and him! Besides, you can't _fight,_ remember?"

"Oh, right." Sayomi glared and crossed her arms, letting the sickle dangle by her feet. "Since you decided to play hooky last night, you don't know about what we talked about."

"Care to enlighten me?" Yusuke asked, annoyed with her attitude.

"I can fight so long as I don't use my powers for offense. That means I can defend, but not attack. But that doesn't mean I can't use my weapon to attack instead."

"I _know_ what offense means, Sai!" Yusuke glared down at the demoness then looked up curiously. "Second salvo, eh?"

Sayomi turned to see another wave of ammo flying at them. "More rocks?"

"It's _futile!_ " Yusuke glared and pointed at the ammunition. "I'll just fend these off... Hm?"

Sayomi saw a glint and her eyes widened. _awww crap..._ She looked up at Yusuke and saw his worried expression.

"Those... aren't rocks." His body tensed as they drew nearer. "Holy mackerel! He picks some _fierce ammo!_ "

Sayomi saw the glint multiply and get brighter. Her eyes widened and her grip on her weapon tightened. " _Knives?!_ Are you _kidding_ me?! Where did he get _so many?_ "

"Gotta do a – "

Sayomi turned to see Yusuke with his fist covered in his aura.

"- _Shotgun!_ "

Yusuke punched the air and a volley of aura bullets fired from his fist. Each shot hit a blade, shattering them into pieces. A single knife and screwdriver flew through the debris.

Sayomi was about to throw her sickle to intercept them, but she saw Yusuke spring out of the way on his hand. The blades flew passed him, then changed direction to attack him again. _Dammit, of course they hone in on the targets! Cheater reminds me of a certain ninja..._

At the last second, Yusuke raised his hands to catch the weapons between his fingers. He let out a shaky breath of relief as blood trickled down his hands. Sayomi relaxed her grip on her weapon and could feel how stiff her fingers had become.

Yusuke snapped the weapons in half and dropped them on the ground. He glared and scanned the area for any sign of Sniper. Sayomi followed his example. _He's still nearby if his territory is still in effect. How long does he plan to keep hiding? Probably long enough to wear us down before finishing us off. The ammo has to be coming from_ somewhere, _right? So as long as we know where it's coming from, we should be okay._

"A truck..." Sayomi looked down the road where Yusuke was facing. A large work truck was driving down the road. Yusuke clenched his teeth and said, "If we hitched a ride, that might take us beyond his reach for a while."

"Oh good." Sayomi let out a sigh and tucked her weapon away. "You're gonna give me a heart attack if you keep this up."

"Huh?!" Yusuke's eyes widened. "There's no driver!"

"What?!" Sayomi watched as the truck drove closer and she couldn't see any people in the driver's or passenger's seats. "Can trucks do that, Yusuke?"

"Omigosh..." Yusuke began to tremble as his instincts started to kick in. "Don't tell me he's – "

When the truck turned around the last corner without trouble, Yusuke and Sayomi turned and ran downhill through the trees. The truck drove after them, crashing through the trees in its way. As the duo took a sharp left, the truck did the same. Yusuke clenched his teeth as he sprinted through the wilderness. " _You gotta be kiddin' me!_ "

"How can he use a _truck_ as _ammo?!_ " Sayomi shouted as she sprinted beside Yusuke.

"How the hell should _I_ know?!" Yusuke asked. "This is _loony!_ We'll be _squashed like bugs!_ And that tanker's fulla _gas,_ so my Reigun's _useless!_ Gotta get _outside_ his territory – !"

Yusuke stopped mid-sentence when a glint in the distance caught his eye. Sayomi turned to see a figure through the trees. She narrowed her eyes, glaring at their attacker. _it's Sniper! What's he pointing at us with?_

"So, he means to finish us _now!_ " Yusuke realized when he saw the gun.

Sniper fired his weapon and a loud clap echoed in the mountains. Almost immediately after, the truck exploded behind Sayomi and Yusuke.

Sayomi tried to reach for Yusuke, but she felt a jerk and then she felt her body drape over something firm and warm. A familiar scent filled her nose and she instinctively relaxed. Just a moment later, the intense heat was gone and she could feel the open breeze hit her face.

She looked down and saw Yusuke on all fours, his back red from the exposure to the flames. He was otherwise okay. A hand clasped firmly to the back of his neck and she followed the black sleeve to see Hiei. Her cheeks heated and she looked down again to see she was hanging over his shoulder. _What the –_

"S'long, dude."

Sayomi stiffened when she heard Sniper's voice. Then her mouth hung open and her eyes widened when she heard a slick wet noise. She placed a hand on Hiei's raised arm to twist around and see. It was the same arm that stabbed through Sniper's back with his katana. Blood splattered on Hiei's face and he dropped the body on the ground.

Sayomi shimmied her way off Hiei's shoulder and made her way to Yusuke. She kneeled beside him to check on his burns. _They're not too terrible compared to Hiei's arm at the tournament._ She raised her hands to his back and began to mend him with her dark aura. When she noticed the targets were gone from Yusuke's skin, she checked herself to confirm. _Did he really just kill... He didn't have to go that far, did he?_

"Whuh... Hiei?" Yusuke looked up at the former thief as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Sayomi glanced up at him briefly before making her way to the fallen human. She kneeled next to him and checked the severity of his wound. _This is amazing... He managed to pierce through without damaging anything vital!_ She focused her aura and set to healing his wound. _I suppose he really has come a long way, but..._

"It's not your time to die." Sayomi looked up at Hiei as he smirked, despite the blood on his cheek. "The best is yet to come. This breeze is so pleasant and calming, carrying the scent of rotten blood and flesh from the Demon Plane. Makes me feel nostalgic. See?"

Sayomi and Yusuke followed his gaze over the cliff, towards Swarm City. A massive dome of demonic miasma encased the town and dark clouds rippled in the sky. The ripple's center was right above the dome. Black static connected the two parallel points like an ominous gateway.

"The Underworld is getting ready to erupt!" Hiei declared with pleasure.

 _No!_ Sayomi's eyes widened. _If_ they _come here, it'll be all over for humanity!_

Yusuke furiously punched the ground. Hiei stared down at him while Sayomi watched him with sad eyes. He glared at the sight of the chaos unfolding on the city. "How am I supposed to _deal_ with these guys?! An enemy that doesn't fight head-on is really _annoying!_ " Yusuke got to his feet and started to walk away. "Well, _complaining_ won't help. Gotta go... C'mon, Sai."

Sayomi was about to follow him when Hiei asked, "Go? Where? What for?"

Sayomi arched a brow at Hiei in disbelief. _Is he serious right now...?_

"To get _Kuwabara_ back! What else?!" Yusuke snapped. "And then _kick_ some _enemy butt!_ "

Hiei disappeared from Sayomi's view and reappeared behind Yusuke. Yusuke's eyes widened when he felt the demon's presence so close and he instinctively jumped out of the way of Hiei's sword. " _Hey! Hiei!_ "

Yusuke's voice cut off when he felt the swordsman's blade at his throat. Sniper's blood stained it red, reminding him of how Hiei handled the psychic. Sayomi watched them from a safe distance. Her hand inching towards her weapon. _Hiei... What are you doing?!_

Hiei stared down his nose at Yusuke and said, "Second time today you could've died. You're in no shape to tackle these guys." Hiei drew back his sword and wiped it clean with his cloak before sheathing it. "Heh heh..."

"What's your point?" Yusuke glared up at the demon defiantly.

Hiei stared at him. Then his eyes became feral, like a predator about to take down its prey. "Maybe I should take your life." Yusuke glared as Hiei removed his cloak. His aura flared around him as he said, "In fact, I will!'

" _Hiei, you creep!_ " Yusuke yelled. He mimicked Hiei, surrounding himself with aura as they both charged each other. They clashed and sent each other skidding across the ground. They dashed forward again, delivering a barrage of punches that hit punches. Occasionally they hit each other in the face.

Sayomi could only watch the brutality with wide eyes, frozen in place and unaware of anything besides the two fighters. _Is this really happening? I know Hiei wanted a rematch, but... He's not actually going to_ kill _Yusuke, right?! The only way I'd be able to help would be to use my aura!_

She watched as they pounded into each other. Punching. Blocking. Parrying. Sayomi's eyes followed every move and every time she blinked, she struggled to keep up. _I'm glad Hiei saved us, but why is he doing this now? Why save us, then kill us? Do you really hate humans that much, Hiei? You don't even realize who Yusuke really is..._

They exchanged blows until they came to a stalemate. Yusuke's arm blocked Hiei's punch while Hiei mirrored the tactic with Yusuke's punch. They glared and their aura's flared around them in sparks.

They jumped back and stared each other down. Yusuke gasped for breath. His body was slick with sweat and covered in scrapes and bruises. Hiei smirked and reached for his arm. His dragon was exposed beneath the torn bandages. "Heh... heh heh..."

Yusuke watched Hiei cautiously. Sayomi bit her lip and her hand clasped tightly around her sickle. _Oh no! If he summons the dragon...!_

Hiei brought his bleeding arm to his mouth and began to lick the wound. "I'd say your aura's holding up pretty well."

 _Huh?_ Sayomi felt the tension leave her body, and confusion filled the void. _So this whole time...?_

"Hey!" Yusuke yelled. "You fink! You were _testing_ me?!"

Hiei spit the blood from his mouth and glanced sideways at Yusuke. "You were wound up real tight. Lotta unhealthy tension. Feel better now?" Yusuke and Sayomi stared at Hiei curiously. "Their tactics minimize your power while maximizing their advantages. And with your brain in a fever, they'll keep nailing you."

 _Hiei..._ Sayomi listened as her chest began to feel tighter. She felt a lump in her throat as she realized the truth behind his rash behavior. _You were trying to help us all along?_

Hiei turned to pick up his cloak and slipped it back on. "So cool off. Heh heh, you don't have to listen to me..."

"Heh..." Yusuke placed his hands on his hips and he bowed his head. "Heh heh heh! _Ha ha ha ha ha!_ "

"What's so _funny?_ " Hiei asked, annoyed with Yusuke's response.

"This! You... heh heh..." Yusuke shook his head and grinned, trying to control his laughter. "I mean, _you_ telling _me_ to cool off! That's a switch!"

Sayomi sighed, but she couldn't fight off the grin on her face. _Way to ruin the moment, Yusuke._

Yusuke caught his breath and let out a happy sigh. "Thanks, Hiei. I _do_ feel better."

"Hmph!" Hiei stared at the city, ignoring Yusuke's praise.

Sayomi felt sad as she stared at Hiei's back. _He must still feel torn about what to do. It's good to know that we're on good terms, but... He still wants to go back..._

"Hiei..." Yusuke called out seriously. "Help us, okay?"

Hiei glanced back at Yusuke, giving him the chance to speak.

"I know you don't want the same things we do, but can you really let _them_ use Kuwabara?"

Hiei began to walk away. "I won't move against my own interests."

"Like a certain demoness who's been moping since you left?" Yusuke smirked when Hiei stopped walking. "Or maybe something like getting hold of the Black Chapter?"

When Hiei curiously turned to look over his shoulder at Yusuke, Sayomi felt her cheeks burn. _What the_ hell, _Yusuke?! You didn't have to use_ me _to get his attention! And I_ haven't _been moping!_

Yusuke mimicked one of Botan's Cheshire grins and he rubbed his finger under his nose, playing off his offer like chump change. "Sensui pinched it from the Underworld. Not that I care. I just wanna take Sensui down."

Hiei turned to face Yusuke completely and said, "The Underworld will want that video back."

Yusuke smirked and said, "Yeah, I guess. But, again, what do I care? No one told me to recover it."

"Heh!" Hiei smirked. "Now you're talking."

Hiei slid a glance towards Sayomi and she felt her body heat rise. _Why is he staring at me like that?_ His red eyes stared into her silver ones. She felt like she was in a trance until his eyes shifted upwards.

"Hey," Hiei said, gaining Yusuke's attention.

"Hm?" Yusuke looked down at his friend curiously.

"We got _company._ "

Sayomi turned to see two large demons flying towards them. Sayomi cringed when they landed not 10 M in front of them. One of them was short with a large underbite and grass skirt. A large eyeball blinked from the very top of his head and thin hair grew around it. The other demon was taller with aquatic fins on his head and shoulders. Their large muscles compensated their small brains.

"What's this? What's _this?!_ " The fishy one asked.

"We follow a _human scent_ and _what_ do we find?" The short one taunted. "Something quite _intriguing!_ A _human and two demons_ being all _chummy!_ "

"With Swarm City now in the third phase, we'll be seeing a lot more of these idiots," Hiei commented.

"Idiots? How _very rude!_ " The fishy demon scolded in offense.

"How 'bout I eat _you first,_ little demon?!" The short one threatened. "Then I can take that _female_ for myself!"

Sayomi glared at them and grabbed her weapon. She let the chain spill free and began to spin the sickle. "Just _try it._ See what happens..."

Hiei glared at the demons dangerously. "Yusuke... My best interests may need a rethink. Can't see why I'd want to put up with _these_ jerks. How 'bout you?"

"Same here," Yusuke agreed.

" _That's enough outta you!_ " The fish yelled. " _Hand over the female and try my Megaton Punch!_ "

Yusuke, Hiei, and Sayomi moved in swiftly to attack. Yusuke broke the fish demon's neck, killing him instantly. Hiei and Sayomi cut the other demon into pieces.

"Okay!" Yusuke declared. "On to their _hideout!_ "

Hiei wiped the blood from his sword and returned it to its sheath. Sayomi cleaned her blade and tucked it behind her back. When they locked eyes, they smirked and followed Yusuke.

Sayomi couldn't fight off the smile on her lips as she relished in the freedom to be part of the team again. _That felt so awesome! I almost forgot what it felt like to fight!_

 _So you're fighting again?_

Sayomi flinched when she heard Hiei's voice echo in her head. She snuck a glare at him. He was keeping pace with her behind Yusuke, but he kept his eyes forward. There was the ghost of a smirk on his lips. _Yeah, but I still need to be careful. Just using my weapon to attack should be okay, right?_

 _I suppose that's a possibility. Though it's inevitable that an opponent will come along who's too strong to handle otherwise._ Hiei scowled when he noticed the marks on her arms. _Do you not care if others see them anymore?_

Sayomi glanced at Yusuke's back. He was leading the way, determined to save his best friend and close the portal. _I'll do what I have to. Besides, everyone knows about them now, anyways..._

Hiei smirked and rested his hand on her head. Sayomi felt a warm sensation wash over her from his touch. She let out a content sigh and leaned into his hand. _I'm glad you came back, Hiei. I was starting to wonder if you were seriously going to just leave like that. And was it really necessary to fool us into thinking you really wanted to kill Yusuke?_

Hiei smirked and slipped his hands in his pockets. _He wouldn't have reacted properly otherwise. He needed a good kick in the ass._

Sayomi tried to stifle a laugh, but her attempts were in vain. Yusuke scowled over his shoulder and asked, "What's so _funny?_ " Then he studied their expressions and he smirked. _"_ Ah! I get it. Just keep it down! I don't want to end up over-hearing something I don't want to!"

Sayomi blushed and glared at Yusuke while Hiei rested his hand on his katana.

"Yusuke, don't you dare try to imply something that isn't there!"

"Watch yourself, Detective. Your next words could be your last."

Yusuke smirked and clasped his hands behind his head. "Say what you want, Three-Eyes, but it's obvious what's going on. Just so you know, if you ever hurt her, you'll have to deal with me."

"Feh!" Hiei scoffed. "As if I would lower myself to such tactics. The woman can handle herself just fine, it seems."

Sayomi stared at Hiei in shock. _Was that really an honest compliment...? Does he realize what he just said?_ She blushed when he made eye contact with her. _What are you thinking, Hiei?_

Hiei turned forward again, refusing to acknowledge her question.

Sayomi mentally shook her head free of the confusing thoughts and she focused on the task at hand. _Why am I worrying about_ him _now when the fate of the Human World is at stake?! But still... I'm glad he came back..._


	43. Chapter 43

Sayomi, Yusuke, and Hiei ran down the road. When Sayomi spotted the city in the distance, she smiled. _We're almost there!_

 _Why are you so excited?_

Sayomi scowled at Hiei's annoyed tone echoing in her head. _It means we're about to close the portal and finally put this mess to rest. Why else?_

 _Do you not intend to go back?_

Sayomi hesitated a moment before answering. _Not yet... Not until..._ She looked at Yusuke and bit her lip. _I just can't yet..._

Hiei glanced at her silently. Before he could say anything, Yusuke stole their attention. "Huh? They're already _here?!_ Must've taken the train."

Sayomi smiled again when she noticed their friends waiting for them at the edge of the city. Among the group was Kurama, Genkai, Botan, Kaito, Yanagisawa, and Mitarai. Sayomi's brow arched at the unexpected addition. _He's coming too?_

When they reached the group, Botan smiled and pulled Sayomi into a rib-crushing hug. "I'm so _glad_ you're both _okay!_ " She lowered her voice and whispered in Sayomi's ear. "You'll have to tell me everything as soon as we're alone!"

"Uh..." Sayomi blinked and squirmed out of the reaper's arms. "What...?"

"Lose your shirt, man?" Yanagisawa asked.

"Oh yeah." Yusuke grinned and rubbed the back of his head. "That creep, Sniper, took out my ride and sent me crashing into the pavement. He chased us with a freakin' _gas tank_ and tried to take us out with an explosion. Then Hiei came in, saved us, and took care of him."

"Does that work for you, Botan?" Sayomi scowled at the girl.

The reaper smiled and waved her hand. "That's just the _summary._ I need _details._ "

Sayomi sighed and shook her head. _I don't think I'll ever understand girls. Or maybe it's just Botan…_

Genkai grunted and said, "Well, let's go. Might as well get this boy a shirt before we move on."

"Why?" Yusuke asked. "Let's just go take care of it _now_ so we don't waste any more time."

"He said we have two days," Genkai reminded him. "We can spare two hours to get you a shirt."

"No one wants to see you half naked, Yusuke," Sayomi teased.

"Hey!" Yusuke glared at her, but he couldn't hide the smirk on his face. "All the chicks wanna see this!"

"Not _all_ of them," Botan argued. "I'm sure _Keiko_ wouldn't want you walking around like this either."

"Why does _everyone_ feel the need to bring _Keiko_ into things?" Yusuke pouted as they started walking into the city.

"You know why." Sayomi smirked.

Yusuke scowled at the demoness and muttered, "Oh sure. Just don't let _your_ eyes wander too much or a certain _someone_ might get jealous."

Sayomi glared at her charge. "Shut up, Yusuke."

Botan listened to their exchange with a mischievous smirk and snuck a peek at Hiei. He walked behind the group with his hands in his pockets and stared at nothing in particular. When he noticed her staring, he glared and asked, "What?"

Botan smiled nervously and waved her hand. "Oh, it's nothing. I just didn't expect you to come back!"

Hiei scoffed and said, "My actions are my own business. I don't need to explain myself."

Botan blinked and slid a glance towards Sayomi, who was playfully fighting with Yusuke. She smiled as she thought about the possibilities.

Hiei narrowed his eyes at her.

It took them about a half hour to get to the nearest store. It was a simple shop off the side of a busy street. Pedestrians walked by, gossiping about a thunderstorm and the missing Dr. Kamiya.

Sayomi sighed as she glared through the hordes of demon insects. She leaned against a wall with her arms crossed as Yusuke searched the store for the cheapest shirt he could find. She did her best to ignore Hiei who posted next to her with his eyes closed. _Why must we keep coming back here?_

 _You're the one who was excited to come here._

Sayomi ignored the urge to direct her glare towards Hiei. _Not to actually come_ here _, though. These bugs are even more annoying than the last time._

"Can we really trust his word, Master Genkai?" Botan asked.

"Do we have a choice?" Genkai countered. "If Mitarai is telling the truth, then that means Kuwabara is the key to getting what he wants."

"And even if Kuwabara doesn't comply, there's still Gourmet." Kurama looked at Sayomi and Hiei. "If we have two days, that gives us today and tomorrow. While there's no immediate rush, sooner would be better."

Sayomi frowned as she imagined what Kuwabara must've been going through. _Knowing him, he's probably mouthing off about how he'll never help them. But if this Gourmet can eat –_ Her stomach growled, cutting off her train of thought.

Kurama smiled. "Hungry?"

Sayomi smiled sheepishly and rubbed her stomach. "Yeah, I guess so. I forgot I haven't eaten since yesterday..."

Genkai smirked. "Might as well grab a bite to eat. Don't need anyone passing out from an empty stomach in the middle of the fight."

"Did someone mention food?" Yusuke walked up to the group wearing a plain white t-shirt.

Genkai turned to Kaito and Yanagisawa. "Know any decent restaurants nearby? Nothing too expensive. We can't afford this idiot's appetite."

"Hey!" Yusuke glared at the old woman.

"There's a ramen shop not too far from here. Decent prices for the portions they serve." Kaito pushed up his glasses. "Although, there are other options if you'd like something else."

"What's ramen? Is it good?" Sayomi asked curiously.

"You've never had ramen before?" Yusuke asked in shock.

"No." Sayomi shrugged her shoulders.

"Well that settles it!" Botan declared. "To the ramen shop!"

Kaito and Yanagisawa led the way to the shop and everyone took seats where they could. Genkai sat down with Kaito, Mitarai, and Kurama. Yusuke, Yanagisawa, and Botan occupied another booth. Hiei sat by himself at a separate table.

Sayomi debated between sitting with Yusuke's group or Hiei. When she caught Botan's eye, the reaper smiled and patted the seat next to her. The glint in her eye was enough to sway Sayomi's choice. She sat down in front of Hiei and browsed the menu.

Hiei scowled, but he didn't object to her company. Sayomi let out a small sigh of relief. _Better than having to deal with Botan's interrogation._

 _Interrogation?_

Sayomi looked up from the menu. Hiei was staring out the window. His chin rested in his open palm and his eyes reflected his obvious boredom. She looked back down at the menu. _She wants me to tell her what happened._

 _What do you mean?_

 _I don't know. Yusuke already explained it, so I don't see the point in going into details._ Her eyes stopped on an item on the menu in curiosity. _Pork based broth with chashu, soft-boiled egg..._ Sayomi's mouth began to water as she read the ingredients.

Minutes later, her bowl arrived and the smell of the broth, meat, and vegetables made Sayomi's stomach growl. She broke her chopsticks and hefted the noodles to her mouth. Her eyes lit up as the flavors burst over her taste buds. She quickly began to take in the soup, barely stopping for air, until she heard a low chuckle.

Sayomi looked up to see Hiei smirking at her through the window's reflection. She swallowed her noodles and straightened in her seat. She arched a brow at him with annoyed curiosity. _What?_

 _Your appetite is rather similar to the detective's and the oaf's._ Hiei watched as Sayomi scowled and set her chopsticks down.

She glared at him and looked down at her half-empty bowl. She sighed and muttered, "I haven't eaten all day, okay? And this is pretty good."

"Why haven't you eaten?" Hiei asked.

"Let's just say it's been a busy day. I haven't had the chance." Sayomi picked up her chopsticks again to take another bite. "Besides, I've been too anxious to eat. Having to worry about Yusuke, you, and –"

"Hm?" Hiei turned to look at her curiously.

Sayomi quickly slurped down more noodles to buy her time to think. _Uh-oh..._

Hiei stared at her for a moment. Then he smirked. "I see. So there's some truth to Yusuke's claim."

Sayomi glared at Hiei, her cheeks pink from her slip. "You can't blame me, can you?" When Hiei just stared, she sighed. "The last time you were here, you told me to stay away. Now you show up, save us, and decide to help us again?"

Without answering, Hiei reached out and stole her chopsticks. Before she could object, he dug into her bowl and stole a piece of sliced pork. "Back then, you were acting like a coward. Now you're fighting again, despite the danger. Care to explain that change in tactic?"

Sayomi gaped at Hiei in disbelief. "Did you just eat my food?"

Hiei reached for another helping, but Sayomi quickly pulled the bowl out of his reach. He glared at her, annoyed by the move.

"Get your own," Sayomi warned.

Hiei crossed his arms, the chopsticks dangling in his hand. Sayomi glared at him and brought the bowl to her mouth. Before she could get a sip, Hiei grabbed her wrist and stopped her. She stared at him with wide eyes, stunned by the sudden move. Hiei gently coaxed her to put the bowl down so he could take another bite. They locked eyes until Hiei swallowed and set down the chopsticks.

His hand still held onto her wrist and Sayomi became increasingly aware of the heat spreading from the point of contact. When Hiei turned her wrist over to look at the marks, she became self-conscious. _What is he doing? He's seen them before..._

"What was it that convinced you to change your mind?" Hiei asked quietly.

Sayomi glanced behind him. Yusuke was already slurping down his second helping of noodles while Botan scolded him and Yana smiled. Genkai and Kurama were huddled over the table, in deep discussion with Kaito and Mitarai. She looked back at Hiei to see him staring straight at her. She took in a deep breath to calm her nerves before she answered. "Master Genkai and Kaito suggested it. They figured, since I was able to train under her without the marks appearing, then I should probably go back to doing that. When I first got here, she let me manipulate my aura, but it was more for healing and just being more in tune with it. She only taught me the basics for my weapon. I was the one who started using my aura for attacks."

"Would returning to the Demon Plane help you at all?" Hiei asked. He studied the markings on her arm and tracked them to the nape of her neck. "I can't imagine why you would want to defend a world that's not even yours."

"Let's just say I'm still in debt to someone and I can't go back until I finish paying it off," Sayomi muttered under her breath. She snuck another glance at Yusuke before looking back at Hiei. "I don't know how long it'll take, but if Yusuke is set on protecting this world then so am I."

Hiei scowled and let go of her wrist. "You're always fretting over the detective. Why?"

"Does it really matter?" Sayomi asked. "I have my reasons."

"Does it have something to do with this debt you owe?" Hiei asked.

"Why do you want to know?" Sayomi countered.

"I have my reasons." Hiei smirked.

Sayomi glared at the swordsman until an idea popped into her head. "Wait... Is it because...? Nah, it couldn't be."

"What?" Hiei asked, annoyed with her elusive speech pattern.

"You're not _jealous_ , are you?" Sayomi smirked when Hiei's scowl darkened.

"Nonsense," Hiei denied instantly.

"Well why else would you be so interested in my secrets?" Sayomi challenged.

Hiei glared at her for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh. He rested his chin in his hand and stared out the window. "What about after?"

"After?" Sayomi quirked a curious brow. "You mean after I pay my debt?"

Hiei nodded and tilted his head to look at her. Sayomi chewed her lip as she tried to put her thoughts in order. _Where is this coming from? Why would he want to know?_ "I guess... After I pay my debt, I don't really know what to do..."

Hiei watched her quietly as she played with the chopsticks on the table. She stared down at her hands until Hiei asked, "Would you stay with the detective?"

Sayomi shrugged her shoulders. "That depends, I guess. If things turn out as planned, then probably not. I don't want to go back there if I can help it."

"Why not?" Hiei asked.

Sayomi's eyes became distant as she shifted through her memories. "Let's just say I wasn't really welcome there. I was tolerated under someone else's protection. So now I owe him this debt. Once paid, I'm free to go where I please."

"You have somewhere else to go?" Hiei asked.

"I guess I could look for my brother," Sayomi suggested half-heartedly.

Hiei's eyes narrowed at the mention of the shadow demon. "What if you had another option?"

"What other option is there?" Sayomi asked.

Hiei stared at her silently. Sayomi tried to avoid eye contact, but she couldn't stop her gaze from wandering back to his. His eyes were confident with a hidden layer of mischief that piqued Sayomi's curiosity. Without breaking eye contact, Hiei reached for the bowl and finished the rest of the noodles.

"Hey!" Sayomi protested.

"You guys ready to go yet? Hm?" Yusuke blinked. Sayomi was glaring at Hiei. The fire demon sat smugly in his seat. The empty bowl of ramen sat between them. Yusuke grinned when he put the pieces together. "Alright, you two. Date's over. Let's go get this over with then you can pick up where you left off."

Sayomi turned to Yusuke in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Hiei got up from his seat and followed the group out the door. Sayomi and Yusuke exchanged glances and Yusuke asked, "Was it something I said?"

Sayomi shook her head. "How should I know? If you had shown up just a little sooner, I might've been able to save the last of my food."

Yusuke smirked and ruffled her hair. "I can make you some later. Let's get going before we waste any more time."

Sayomi sighed and got up from her seat. She followed Yusuke and the others, but she couldn't focus on their conversation. _What was Hiei trying to say? Was he offering me an alternative... with him? That doesn't seem like something he'd do, but... what other option would he have in mind?_

The group stopped in an empty field just outside the city. Sayomi looked up at the sky, admiring the vibrant colors in the clouds as the sun started to set. She didn't want to look back towards the city.

"Let's review the situation," Kurama said. "Hiei's taken Hagiri out, so four enemies remain. They got Kuwabara and retreated to Irima Cave." He held up two fingers. "Sensui said in two days the portal will be complete, undercutting the Underworld's estimate by four days."

"Probably because Itsuki, the spell caster, is growing in power," Botan suggested.

"Itsuki said it might go quicker than expected," Mitarai agreed. "One look around makes that clear."

Sayomi scowled and rubbed her arms as she imagined the insects swarming the city.

"Now that they have Kuwabara..." Kurama continued. "We have to go in and stop them – _now!_ Or they'll use Kuwabara's sword to complete their work. Until they reach that point, he should be okay. Then again... They do have _Gourmet._ "

"Not good, huh?" Yusuke asked.

Kurama turned to the boy and said, "He might 'consume' Kuwabara's ability, allowing them to dispose of Kuwabara."

"I'm afraid you're right about that," Mitarai confirmed. "I once saw Makihara devour a demon."

 _A demon?_ Sayomi's ears perked up at the information.

"Was it named Toguro, by any chance?" Kurama asked.

Mitarai nodded. "Yeah."

"How does he 'eat,' exactly?" Yusuke asked.

"He swallows the guy whole. His territory is _inside_ his body." Mitarai became pale as he spoke.

"Enough standing around," Hiei interjected. "We can talk on the way to the cave."

"Just a moment," Genkai said. "We shouldn't all just charge in."

"I agree," Kurama said.

"Sayomi... Hiei... Kurama... Yusuke..." Genkai pointed at each person in turn. " _You four_ take this one."

Sayomi could feel the excitement building in her system, but she hid it behind a calm mask. _This is my chance!_

"If we went as a gang," Genkai continued. "We'd just increase the risk of the enemy exploiting any weaknesses. The rest will stay on lookout. They may have agents set to flank us if we all go in."

"That cave's like a giant maze. I'll guide you." Mitarai jerked his thumb at himself.

"Can we _trust_ you?" Hiei asked.

Mitarai looked down in shame and guilt. Sayomi scowled and elbowed Hiei in the ribs. When Hiei glared at her, she glared back. _You didn't have to say it like that._

"I want to help Kuwabara." Mitarai looked up at Yusuke nervously.

Yusuke met his gaze, gauging the boy's sincerity. When Yanagisawa lifted his hand, offering to lend his power to check him, Yusuke waved him off. Instead, he clapped his hand on Mitarai's shoulder and said, "Welcome aboard. Let's go."

"Thanks," Mitarai said with genuine gratitude.

Sayomi smiled at the gesture. _Poor kid. He must feel responsible for Kuwabara's situation._

 _That's because he is._

Sayomi let out a huff of breath and crossed her arms. She ignored the urge to glare at Hiei. _Why do you keep invading my thoughts? I thought we agreed to certain boundaries._

 _Those boundaries included communication, didn't they?_

Sayomi took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. It took her a few moments to calm down again. _That doesn't mean you can listen in all the time. I like having_ some _privacy every now and then._

"Yusuke..." Genkai called out, stopping the boy from leaving. "Does this remind you of anything?"

"Hm...?" Yusuke blinked. " _Oh!_ " He pointed at Kaito and Yanagisawa. "When _these three_ captured me!"

"Right," Genkai approved. "So don't race ahead of what wits you possess."

"Don't worry." Yusuke smirked. "We'll drag Sensui outta there in no time."

"Heh..." Genkai crossed her arms and smirked.

" _Let's go!_ " Yusuke led the way to Irima Cave until he realized he didn't know where he was going. "Uh... Kurama? Where is the cave again?"

"I'll show you," Mitarai volunteered.

"Sure." Yusuke smirked. "Lead the way, man."

As Mitarai guided them to the cave, Sayomi could only focus on their growing shadows. _Time sure is going by pretty quickly._

 _Exactly my point._ Hiei kept pace with her behind the group. He watched Mitarai, skeptical of the boy's intent. _All we've done is waste time._

Sayomi glared at him without turning her head. _You weren't complaining when you ate my food._

 _You took too long. It was already cold._

 _No, it wasn't!_ Sayomi took slow breaths to keep herself under control.

Yusuke took a careful peek behind his back. Hiei and Sayomi followed them in silence. Yusuke leaned in closer to Kurama and lowered his voice. "Hey, is it just me, or do they seem kinda chummy since he got back?"

Kurama took a sly peek at the pair and he smiled. "It is a possibility. Whether it is or isn't, it's really none of our concern. I have already warned him about what would occur should she get hurt, but ultimately it isn't up to us."

"You too?" Yusuke smirked. "I was actually hoping to go for round 3, but if you want to make this a tag-team..."

Kurama chuckled. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

"Right." Yusuke sighed and asked, "So how far is this cave supposed to be?"

"At that boulder, we're gonna veer right," Mitarai answered. "From there we keep going for another 20 minutes. After that – "

"Geez!" Yusuke sighed. "It's gonna be dark by the time we get there."

"Maybe if you didn't take off after them on your own, we could've saved on time," Sayomi pointed out.

"Oh, look who decided to join us!" Yusuke teased. "Did we disturb your flirting back there?"

"Shut it, Yusuke." Sayomi glared at the boy.

"Besides," Yusuke continued. "If I hadn't gone, then we wouldn't have run into Hiei and taken out Sniper. Not to mention the food that we paid for."

"Actually, Yusuke," Kurama interrupted. "Master Genkai and Botan paid for you and Sayomi. Everyone else paid for themselves."

"Oh, whatever, Fox Boy." Yusuke grumbled.

Sayomi smirked at Yusuke's defeated posture. _That's what you get!_

About 45 minutes later, they reached an old wooden gate with a worn sign that read 'No Trespassing'. Both the gate and the sign were wrapped in barbed wire. Ignoring the warning, they hopped over the fence and followed the trail to a large cave. Parked off to the side of the road was the same truck Sensui had used to escape. At the cave entrance, there was another short wooden fence.

Sayomi sighed and shook her head. "Don't they realize how easy it is to get over these barricades?"

"Not many people come around here too often unless they're trying to commit suicide." Mitarai smiled and said, "Fortunately, we haven't found any dead bodies since we started coming here."

"How long will it take to reach Itsuki?" Kurama asked.

Mitarai stared into the dark cave. "At a cautious pace, I'd say about two hours. If we go undetected."

Sayomi stared into the dark cave and switched to infrared vision. She picked up dark blues and pitch black. The ground gave off a hint of violate. "I don't see anyone hiding near the entrance, at least."

"Come on," Yusuke said sternly.

They followed Mitarai into the cave. Despite not being able to see, he seemed to know where to walk and for how long. When the path forked, he led them down the right. "This way."

Kurama tossed a small seed on the ground. It quickly sprouted into a small weed with a glowing bud. Yusuke looked at it curiously until Kurama explained. "Blazing our trail, just in case."

When Sayomi looked at the small flower, she saw a glimmer of red-orange that shined brightly against the cooler color tones. "It'll come in handy when we need to come back."

"I just hope he doesn't run out of seeds," Yusuke said with concern.

"We're coming up on two forks close together. We're going to keep right, then take the left path," Mitarai informed the group.

After the tenth fork in the path, Sayomi gave up on keeping track of their turns. _I'm glad Kurama was prepared._

Half an hour later, Yusuke turned to look back at their glowing trail. "We've taken twenty forks so far. We'd be lost without Kurama's Glo Buds."

Mitarai pointed ahead. "There's a large cavern up ahead. That's about the halfway point."

Sayomi resisted the urge to groan. _Barely halfway? If I could, I would just travel to the end through the shadows._

 _Don't let us keep you from going. I'm sure you can handle Sensui and bring back Kuwabara on your own._

 _Your sarcasm isn't needed, Hiei._

" _Hold it!_ " Mitarai stopped walking and cautioned everyone else to do the same. "Uh-oh... That door! _It's new!_ "

Sayomi looked ahead to see two large double doors with a large G engraved on the center. "Strange place for a door."

"The Gatekeeper's work?" Kurama asked.

"No..." Mitarai shook his head. "Itsuki has to stay with the portal. I'm not sure _who's_ behind this."

"Hmm..." Yusuke cupped his chin as he stared at the door in thought. "Something about it seems familiar."

Everyone watched the door carefully. The silence stretched for a few minutes before a loud disembodied voice put everyone on alert. "Welcome to _Devil City!_ You are the _seven chosen warriors!_ The city will only know _peace_ if you manage to _defeat the Evil Gamer King!_ "

"It's 'Game Battler'!" Kurama exclaimed.

"That's _right!_ " Yusuke glared and pointed at the door angrily. "That was the _opening sequence!_ "

"'Game Battler'?" Hiei asked.

"A video game," Kurama answered.

"So _Amanuma_ set this up!" Mitarai realized.

"So what is it exactly?" Sayomi asked. "I know Yusuke plays them all the time, but they're not all the same, right?"

Kurama nodded. "'Game Battler' is a game where you must defeat the Evil Gamer King, the Master of all genres of games, to bring peace to Devil City. The Gamer King challenges the player with sports games, fighting games, trivia games, and puzzle games, and the player must win four out of seven matches. It's so popular that kids hold 'Battler Parties,' where friends with different areas of expertise band together to try to win the game."

"Sounds too complicated to actually be any fun," Sayomi commented.

"Welcome to my territory," A young, high-pitched voice said out of nowhere. "I don't know how many of you are out there..."

"Amanuma's voice!" Mitarai recognized the boy's voice.

"...But in _my_ territory, you have to follow the rules of the game. _Seven_ warriors are chosen, so _seven warriors there must be!_ "

"Bossy little runt, isn't he?" Sayomi commented.

"Amanuma's territory recreates games in real life," Mitarai explained. "Anyone who isn't a part of the game can't set foot inside his territory."

Sayomi and the boys stared at the door with suspicion. _So he's using human kids too? How twisted is this guy to use a child to wipe out the human race?_

Yusuke rubbed his chin as he said, "So we have to join in, eh? He must think a lot of his gaming skills."

"And just how good are _your_ gaming skills?" Sayomi asked.

"Better than _yours,_ I bet," Yusuke answered.

"It also trumps our strategy," Kurama pointed out. "We can't go forward without our entire group."

"Wait here!" Mitarai exclaimed. "I'll go fetch the _others!_ "

"No!" Kurama objected. "We _all_ go! It'll take time, but we don't dare split up."

Sayomi let out a sigh and stretched her arms as they turned to leave the cave. "So we have to go all the way back to that field? They should've just come with us to the cave entrance in the first place."

"We can plan for caution, but we can't plan for every scenario," Kurama reasoned. "Given the stakes, caution is the best course of action."

"So who are we bringing back? We only need two people, right?" Yusuke asked.

"We need enough people to fill the count, but we also want to use every advantage at our disposal. Someone will need to stay behind until this is settled."

"Well I'm not staying," Yusuke declared. "If there's a fighting round, then I can take it."

"Yes," Kurama agreed. "We will want experienced gamers with a diverse enough skill set if we want to stand a fair chance at victory."

"I'm pretty good with sports games," Mitarai said. "It's not much, but..."

"That's good. We'll still need you with us afterwards to lead us the rest of the way."

"Master Genkai will probably be another good choice," Sayomi suggested. "Her temple has a whole room full of games."

"So it comes down to Kaito and Yana," Yusuke concluded.

"Yes," Kurama nodded. "To be honest, I believe the only non-gamers among our group are Botan, Hiei and Sayomi."

"I don't think I'm gonna like where this is going," Sayomi muttered under her breath.

"We'll leave it up to you to decide who stays. Considering neither of you are familiar with games, it would hardly matter who comes," Kurama said.

Sayomi glared down at the dirt floor. _Why am_ I _always the one getting left behind?_

 _Who says you need to stay behind?_

 _Apparently, the brat says so. And so does everyone else._

 _Hn. You're going to let that stop you?_

 _Well if only one of us can go in, does that mean you'll stay behind?_

 _Not a chance._

Sayomi glowered at Hiei in the dark. _Yeah, I didn't think so._

 _What about your powers? Can't you just merge with the shadows around you?_

 _I can, but what if I'm not able to sneak into his territory? You expect me to just wait outside that stupid door by myself? That's even_ more _annoying._

 _The reaper will be with you._

 _You're not helping, Hiei..._

Two hours later, Yusuke returned with Kurama, Hiei, Mitarai, Genkai, Kaito, and Yanagisawa. Genkai stared up at the door and sighed. "Oh brother..."

"Welcome to _Devil City!_ " The disembodied voice announced. "You are the _seven chosen warriors!_ "


	44. Chapter 44

"Welcome to Devil City! You are the seven chosen warriors!"

The big double doors groaned open and a bright light shone through the dark cave. Yusuke and the others cautiously walked into the room and looked around. The room had a sci-fi theme to it, making it look like a giant computer with a large flat monitor on the wall.

"You finally _have_ seven, I see. Good. Let's get rollin'... in the Battle of Games!" Sitting in a throne, just to the bottom-right of the screen, was a young boy in an over-sized demon cloak with horns. The same G was printed on the hood of his cloak.

Yusuke turned and asked, "How is this game played, Kurama?"

"Why? Don't you know?" Kurama asked.

Yusuke blinked and said, "I only play fighting games. This one seemed boring so I never picked it up."

"All right. See that slot machine?" Kurama pointed to a slot machine stationed next to the kid. A common ogre stood next to the machine, ready to pull the lever. "That decides the game and the level of difficulty. Levels are one to ten. We play one game each, for a best of seven."

"So, are you ready?" The kid raised an impatient finger and said, "I mean, what's with all the jabber, huh? Aren't you in a _hurry?_ Get goin', or I won't play at all."

"Snotty _brat!_ " Yusuke ground his teeth and glared at the boy.

"He's assumed the Gamer King character," Kaito observed.

"We need a strategy," Kurama muttered. He turned to the group and asked, "Who's played this game before?"

"I have," Kaito answered.

"Me too," Mitarai agreed.

"And me."

Yusuke looked down at Genkai in surprise. " _You've_ played this game?!"

"Yep." Genkai held up two fingers for victory. "Pretty good at it, too."

"With me, that's four..." Kurama said. "But who's actually _won_ the game?"

"I once got through all levels," Genkai answered.

"I've won seven times out of 10," Kaito said. "Against the _game's_ Gamer King, that is."

"Yeah..." Kurama slid a sly glance at the child in costume. "A real-life Gamer King could be a trickier proposition. In fact, we should assume we all have a whole new challenge ahead of us. We want three wins in a row straight off."

"Huh?" Yusuke asked.

Mitarai answered for the red-head. "The Gamer King lets his minions fight until his opponents manage three wins." He pointed at himself. "I could never manage that myself... though I always aced the sports category."

" _Brrrt!_ Time's up!" The Game Master interrupted. "Let the games _begin!_ "

"Very well." Kurama turned to the group and said, "Master Genkai... Mitarai... Yanagisawa..."

" _Me?!_ " Yanagisawa pointed at himself, dumbfounded.

"… You three go for the first wins. Kaito, Hiei, Yusuke and I will do the rest."

" _Spin the slots!_ " The Gamer King ordered.

The ogre pulled down the lever and the three wheels began to spin. They clicked until they stopped with the chime of a bell. The three slots read as "Sports. Tennis. Level 7."

"The first game is Tennis," Amanuma said ominously.

"Right!" Mitarai stepped forward. "This one's for me!"

A fuzzy hologram of an ogre materialized into the room. He grinned and flexed his biceps, showing off his large S tattoo. Amanuma pointed at it and said, "By the way, my minions have the same skill settings as in the video game. That sound fair enough to you?"

Mitarai walked up to the control podium as two tennis rackets appeared on the screen. The words "Battle Tennis" appeared above them and the Start option blinked in the center. He stared at the screen confidently while the sports demon laughed merrily at the neighboring podium.

"Been a while, Mitarai."

Mitarai's confidence wavered as he looked at Amanuma. The child stared him in the eyes and said, "Sensui told me you'd switched sides. Or are you only _pretending_ to, and just stringing them along? If that's so, you're a heck of an actor. Keep in mind it's not too late to rejoin us."

The sports demon turned to Mitarai with a pleasant grin. "The first to take three sets wins the match. Please select your player."

Mitarai turned to the screen and said, "Rendra."

"Still think we can trust him?" Hiei asked.

Yusuke glanced down at the swordsman, then looked up at Mitarai. "Yes."

" _Begin! Backer opens service!_ " A disembodied voice announced throughout the room.

Mitarai and the ogre immediately began to play. Their characters ran back and forth across the screen. They swung their rackets as the digital tennis ball bounced between their hits. The round continued at a steady pace until the ball bounced out of bounds.

"40-Love: Rendra."

"Good...!" Mitarai let out a shaky breath of relief. He had built a nervous sweat while he focused on the game.

Amanuma stared down his nose at Mitarai and said, "Remember how we were outcasts at school? Sensui said we each had a different reason why."

"Hey!" Yusuke yelled. "They're _playing,_ so _shut up!_ "

"The Gamer King is allowed to heckle," Kaito explained.

Ignoring the rest of the crowd, Amanuma continued. "Mitarai, he said, was shunned for being a loser, and I because I was feared. It's true. I was too _challenging_ for the general run of idiots." Mitarai tried to tune him out and focus on the game. "He was weak, I was strong... we were polar opposites."

 _Hiei...?_

Hiei kept his expression composed, careful not to give anything away. _What?_

 _Umm... I think we have a problem..._

Hiei clenched his teeth. _What kind of problem?_

 _Well... You see... I uh..._

 _Out with it._

 _I can't hear anything. Or at least, I can't hear anything except you._

 _What do you mean? I thought you were able to listen in while merged with shadows._

 _That's the thing! Normally I can do that and travel between them, but now I_ can't!

Hiei glanced at the child in his large chair. He was still trying to get into the beta's head.

 _You shouldn't call him a beta, Hiei. It's not nice._

Hiei glared down at his feet. His shadow appeared just a little darker than everyone else's. _How did you know what I was thinking?_

 _Uh... I thought you were talking to me on purpose. Oh~! So_ that's _how that feels!_

 _Quiet._ Hiei watched the large screen with disinterest as he addressed Sayomi. _It's most likely the brat's territory._

 _Well this sucks. I can't use my powers_ at all? _What happens if we lose? I'll be stuck like this_ forever?

 _If you're lucky._

 _Huh? Oh... Right. The whole soul-sucking thing. Damn it, this is annoying. I_ knew _something was gonna happen if I tried to sneak in._

 _Then why did you?_

Sayomi could hear the smirk in his tone. _You know why. I didn't want to be left alone with Botan._

 _So you left her alone?_

 _I... Yeah... I guess I did... Who would've guessed you could make me feel bad about something like that?_

 _Why did you attach yourself to me anyways? I imagine you would've gone with Yusuke._

 _Well... you're the only one who can hear me... and it was your idea._

" _3 sets to 1! Mitarai wins!_ "

Hiei snapped out of his mental conversation with Sayomi when the loud voice blared around them.

"Guk... Graaw..." The sports demon fuzzed out until a small explosion happened in his place.

" _Our first win!_ " Yusuke cheered as Mitarai walked back to the group.

"Hmph!" The Gamer King huffed.

"You're right, Amanuma..." Mitarai turned to look at the boy over his shoulder. "I'm weak, and I couldn't face it, so I put the blame on everyone else. That's why I gave in to the dark side and joined Sensui. But it's not too late for me."

"Yeah, sure!" Amanuma waved off Mitarai's words carelessly. "Next mini-game!"

The ogre pulled the slot machine's lever. The wheels clicked and spun until they stopped with a ding. "Shooting. Battle Chopper. Level 6."

Another hologram of a large ogre materialized onto the field and made his way to the controls.

"A vertical scrolling shooter. Level 6... I can tackle that." Genkai stepped up to the other podium.

The ogre glared down at her and snarled. "We each get three lives! The first to get three kills wins!"

 _Hiei?!_

Hiei's eye twitched at the volume of her thoughts. _I'm here. What is it?_

 _You were silent for a while... I thought something happened..._

Hiei let out a quiet sigh. _We won the first game._

 _What does that mean?_

 _We need to win a certain number of rounds before we can move on. Don't ask for specifics. I didn't care to pay too much attention._

 _Well, at least we're off to a good start, right?_

 _For now._

 _Why are you so negative all the time?_

Hiei scowled as he watched Genkai take one of the ogre's three lives. _I'm being realistic. We might have the upper hand starting off, but the brat hasn't stepped up to play yet._

 _He hasn't? Then who's playing? How does this work?_

 _You're asking too many questions. Calm down._ After a moment of silence, he continued. _The child has minions that play first. After three wins, he'll step up._

 _That's annoying. What's so fun about this game?_

 _Who cares? It's a pointless waste of time._

 _Have you ever played any before?_

 _No._

 _I have, a couple times. It was at Master Genkai's temple. I wasn't very good at them._ When Hiei didn't respond, Sayomi tried to listen for any other sound that could give her some clue to what was going on. She was only met with silence and darkness. _Hiei..._

 _Hn._

 _Why did you come back?_ She asked the first thing that came to mind. For a moment, she didn't think he would answer.

 _I was worried about the trees._

 _Trees? So you were trying to save nature and you ended up saving us instead?_

Hiei watched the screen with disinterest. He mulled over his own questions to keep himself distracted. _Why didn't you fight against me earlier?_

 _I would've needed my aura just to keep up with you guys... And I was hoping you weren't really going to kill him... I'm glad you didn't._

As Genkai took the ogre's second life, Hiei glanced briefly at Yusuke. He was watching the old woman with a smug grin as she continued to avoid getting shot. _I know better than to underestimate him. It's happened before and I paid the price. It won't happen again._

 _You mean when he beat you on his first case?_

Hiei's eyes narrowed. _That was luck._

Sayomi laughed in his head. _Call it what you want, but a win is a win._

 _When will_ we _fight?_

 _Huh?_ Sayomi didn't expect the question. _I guess we can train when this is over. Why?_

 _We need to see how much your skills have depleted since our last spar. I can't trust you to have my back if you can't defend your own._

Sayomi hoped he could feel the intensity of her glare despite not having physical eyes. _If you_ must _know, I can handle myself just fine._

 _We'll see._

 _Do you want to fight here in the Human World or the Demon Plane?_

 _What do_ you _think?_

Sayomi sighed. _Fine. Then I guess it'll have to wait until my debt is over. I don't suppose you'll want to stick around that long, huh?_

 _Not really._

When Genkai took the ogre's third life, the hologram went out the same way as the first. Amanuma smiled and said, "Boy, she knows her stuff! But now she's done. You'll _regret_ expending her so early!"

His ogre minion pulled the lever on the slot machine. The options spun until they landed on "Puzzles. Battle Block. Level 10."

"You're up, Yanagisawa." Kurama smiled at the teen.

"Hang on!" The psychic pointed at himself and he looked at the red-head nervously. "I've never even _played_ a video game! And this is at level 10! I'm a _dead duck!_ "

"You forgetting your Copy ability?" Kurama asked.

Kaito pointed at himself and said, "I'm a puzzle whiz."

"Oh..." Yanagisawa blinked. "Oh _yeah!_ " He copied Kaito's persona and stepped up to the podium where a pink octopus waited for him.

Hiei settled in for another round of boredom.

 _Am I really that boring to you?_

Hiei scoffed under his breath. _I was referring to these tedious games. It's a round of puzzles._

 _Is Kurama playing?_

 _No. I believe his name is Yanagisawa. He copied the four-eyed human to play._

 _You mean Kaito? Don't be mad that he took your soul. It's your own fault, Three-Eyes._

Hiei growled low in his throat. _Enough._

 _Fine. Who won the last round?_

 _The old crone._

 _Don't let her hear you call her that out loud. She won't go easy on you either. And that doesn't surprise me. She's always playing them._ Before the silence could drag too long, she asked another question that had been bothering her. _What will you do when you have the Black Chapter?_

 _I'll watch it._

 _You have a VCR?_

 _No._

 _Then how will you watch it?_

 _I'll steal one._

 _Right. I forget you're a thief sometimes._

 _Since when?_

 _When what?_

 _When did you stop seeing me as a thief?_

 _Oh... I guess it was when we started sparring each other. It was fun and I've seen how you are with Yukina so I know you're not all bad. I'm sure you have your reasons for wanting to be feared, but you don't really scare me anymore. I actually trust you to watch my back, but I can understand why you wouldn't trust me._

 _Are you still afraid?_

 _I just said I wasn't._

 _Of your power._

 _Oh... Well, yeah. I think I'm always gonna be afraid of fading. But if I keep living in fear, I'll never improve. I may not be the best, but that's not why I do it._

 _Then why?_

 _I love it. I love hitting my target and dodging attacks. I love that moment when it's just you and your opponent. Nothing else matters except that moment. Is he gonna punch or kick? Which side is he favoring? When I think of fighting, I can't help but get excited and eager to see how I do against others._

 _So you do it for fun._

 _Basically, yeah. But I also know I'm gonna need it when I'm on my own. No one's gonna be there to protect me so I need to defend myself._

 _So if someone else was there, you wouldn't fight?_

 _Of course I would still fight! I don't want anyone to fight for me if I can help it. I know I let my fear hold me back in the tournament, but you can't blame me when I didn't get to fight in any other matches. Just jumping into the finals would scare anyone._

 _That didn't stop you from coming back to ring-side._

 _Well... After you passed out, I got worried. Not to mention how beat up Kurama was. Even the girls didn't give me a choice in the matter. I wanted to stay with Yukina to keep my promise, but I couldn't just sit there and do nothing._

Hiei returned his attention to the front when he heard the explosion from the podium. Yanagisawa released his territory, returning to his original self, and walked back to the group.

" _Yanagisawa wins! That's three!_ " Yusuke cheered with a fist pump. " _One more win and we nail this thing!_ "

" _Sigh... Oh well._ " Amanuma stood up from his seat and threw off his cloak with a confident smirk. "I guess it's up to _me._ "

"Mmm..." Kaito watched the boy warily. "That's gamespeak."

"Uh-huh..." Kurama confirmed. "So now things get serious. Yusuke, listen... I've gotta be honest..." When Yusuke looked at him, he said, "If Amanuma matches the real game's Gamer King, Kaito or I will probably manage a win. But I don't really think that's gonna be the case. This guy's probably way tougher than the game version! As such, neither you nor Hiei could beat him. Odds and experience are against you. What that means is... if Kaito and I lose, we'll have no alternative but to beat a very hasty retreat."

 _What's going on, Hiei? You went quiet again._

 _We won the third round. Now the brat is stepping up to play. Kurama seems uncertain we'll be able to beat him._

 _Kurama's not sure?_

 _If he or four-eyes loses, then we'd be better off retreating._

 _Now I'm really worried..._

Amanuma walked up to the slot machine and pulled the lever himself. He leaned against it and watched the wheels spin with a childish smile. "Now then... Let's see what I get to play!"

The options stopped on "Trivia. General. Level G."

" _Trivia?!_ " Amanuma reeled. "Ouch! Not _my_ first choice, boy!"

"I'll play this," Kaito volunteered. "Trivia's a specialty of mine."

"One more and _we win!_ " Yusuke cheered with a raised finger. " _Trivia_ that guy into next Tuesday, Kaito!"

Amanuma made his way to his station. He was humming to himself as he warmed up his wrists to play. Kurama watched the kid carefully. "He seems quite confident. What can you tell us about his ability, Mitarai?"

"Well, I've never really seen it in action..." Mitarai confessed. "But he can impose game environments on reality _as_ reality, and that's exactly the kind of reality we're in right now. As for what happens next, who knows?"

As Kaito walked to his station, Amanuma explained the rules of the game. "Multiple choice, buzz in to answer, 10 right answers to win. No points off for being wrong but get three wrong and you're out of contention."

"Right," Kaito said.

A small man appeared on the screen with the words "Battle Trivia" above his head. The disembodied voice made its announcement. "Gamer King (Amanuma) vs. Kaito. _Begin!_ "

While Kaito prepared to start playing, Amanuma stood back from his podium with his arms crossed.

 _Hey, Hiei. What's happening now?_ Sayomi had gotten used to the occasional moments of silence.

 _The brat isn't at his post._

 _Why not?_

"Well?" Kaito asked.

"I'll skip the first five questions," Amanuma said as he stared up at the screen. "You go ahead and answer, though. Call it a handicap."

"A handicap?" Kaito hand rested near the buzzer. "I doubt I'll need one."

"All right! First question!" The small character cheered. "In the Ama—"

 _Buzzz!_

" _What?!_ " Yusuke reeled.

Without finishin the question, four options appeared on the screen listed as Piroroca, Paroroca, Pororoca, and Peroroca. A small arrow appeared, pointing to the third option. A bell chimed and the small character cheered. "Correct!"

"He knew the answer less than three words into the question?!" Yusuke watched the screen with wide eyes and clenched teeth.

"Simple process of elimination," Kaito explained. "There are 17,000 questions in Battle Trivial General, only three of which begin with 'In the Amazon.' The answers are Pororoca, piranha, and the Trans-Amazon Highway."

Yanagisawa began to sweat nervously as he listened. "H-He's _memorized_ them?! All _17,000_ questions and answers?! What a geek!"

A moment later, the full question appeared on the screen: In the Amazon, water in the Rio Araguari at times rushes upstream. What is this phenomenon called? Answer: Proroca.

Kaito looked down at his opponent and asked, "Would you like to rethink your handicap strategy?"

Amanuma continued to focus on the screen and said, "Second question's coming up."

As Kaito prepared himself for the next question, Hiei returned his attention to his temporary mental inconvenience. _The child claims he's giving us a handicap. He's not answering anything yet._

 _Isn't that a bit risky? How's Kaito holding up?_

 _He answers just seconds into the question. The child is up to something._

 _What kind of handicap is he giving?_

 _He's giving us the first five questions._

 _Out of how many?_

 _10._

 _Really? Half of them?_

 _Looks like this round will be a quick one._ Hiei shifted his focus after Kaito answered the fifth question correctly.

"Attaboy Kaito! You're _5-0!_ " Yusuke cheered.

"I'd've been _eliminated_ after the first three questions!" Yanagisawa confessed.

"Ah ha!" Amanuma exclaimed. " _That's it!_ "

Kaito glanced sideways at the boy.

Amanuma waved his arm to loosen up. "Time for a comeback!"

"Glad you could join me," Kaito said. "Were you seeing how I'd do first?"

Amanuma stuck out his tongue and said, "Naw, no surprises there. You're okay. I was trying to figure out something else." As Kaito gave him a curious look, he turned back to the screen with a confident smirk. "You'll see."

"Sixth question!" The character started.

 _Buzzz_

Amanuma had slapped his buzzer before the question could start. On the screen was just the question number with options A, B, C, and D.

Kurama explained the situation for those who were unaware. "If you buzz in before the question starts, even the multiple-choice answers aren't displayed."

"Is he gonna take a blind guess?" Yusuke asked.

Amanuma smirked and said, "Question six is 'What is the name of the asteroid that people feared might crash into the Earth in the year 2000?' And the answer is B: Toutatis."

Everyone stared at the kid in disbelief until the small arrow appeared beside B. The small character appeared on the screen and cheered, "Correct!"

" _Huh?!_ " Yusuke cringed at the child's skill.

"How on Earth...?" Yanagisawa couldn't believe his eyes either.

Then the question and answers appeared on the dark screen.

" _There it is! Just what he said!_ " Yusuke yelled. "Freaky! He quoted the _whole thing,_ chapter and verse! Precognition?! No, it's a trick... or _he cheated!_ "

"Perhaps he memorized the order of all questions and their answers," Kurama proposed.

"That can't be it," Kaito objected. "There's a randomizing algorithm..."

Amanuma wagged his finger and smiled. "Ah, but every algorithm has a discernable pattern. This one takes five questions to figure out. I probably didn't allow _enough_ of a handicap."

 _Hn. So it seems the child had his own tricks._

 _Hiei! You_ know _I can't tell what's going on!_

 _He's answering before the questions are even asked. And he's getting them right._

 _What the hell? Doesn't this kid have anything better to do with his time?_

 _By the looks of it, it doesn't seem like we'll win this one._

 _So what happens if we lose?_

 _We might find out in this round. He's almost caught up with us._

 _Geez. This kid needs to get out more. Doesn't he have friends his age?_

 _By the sounds of it, no. Why else would he join this group of filth?_

 _Why do you have to look down on others so much? Is it because you can't actually look down at people?_

 _No. It's because they are inferior to me. If they cannot prove their worth, then what good are they to me?_

 _So how would I be any worth to you?_

 _You show potential. Whether you achieve it or not depends on you._

 _Are you trying to say you believe I can be better?_

 _Everyone has potential._

 _Why can't I ever get a straight answer out of you?_

Hiei smirked to himself. _You expect answers to be given to you?_

 _Don't answer my questions with questions, please. I'm really curious. What happened to you to make you so cynical?_

 _Hn._

 _Hiei... You know about my past to an extent. I'm not asking for your whole story, just a peek. You know about my brother and I know about your sister. Maybe we can start there. Why doesn't she know you? T_ he silence started to drag on longer than usual. She was about to change the subject when his thoughts reached her.

 _We've never met before. You can say we were separated at birth._

 _I see._ Sayomi tried to imagine never knowing about her brother. He had always been there and there was never any doubt about who he was. She tried to imagine how Yukina must feel, looking for a brother she just found out about. _Do you ever plan to tell her the truth?_

 _No._

 _Why not?_

 _She's better off not knowing. If you were repulsed by my reputation at our first meeting, how do I know she won't be?_

 _Because she's not me, Hiei. She's so much better than you seem to give her credit for._

Hiei refused to respond until the first error was made. He looked at the screen to see Kaito had made a wrong answer.

 _Kaito did what?_

 _He's trying to imitate the child's strategy. He doesn't seem to be as skilled._

 _How far ahead is the kid?_

 _He's got us 8-5._ But _now we have one strike._

 _Better than just giving up, I guess._

Hiei watched as Kaito made another blind attempt. _If he doesn't manage a win, it'll be down to Kurama. If he fails..._

 _Then we're pretty much screwed, huh?_

The plan is to escape. If we can't escape, then we can count ourselves amongst the body count.

No pressure or anything...

 _Buzzz!_

The character appeared on the screen and announced, "That's the third wrong answer in a row for Kaito! Game over!"

Kaito looked down at the boy and said, "You got me. I couldn't see a pattern."

"Hey, don't sweat it. You're a smart guy." Amanuma grinned up at Kaito and said, "Better luck next time, eh?"

"Crap!" Yusuke cursed. "Kaito _lost!_ That kid's incredible! Now it's up to Kurama! Um..." Yusuke hesitated as a thought occurred to him. "I just realized I never thought to ask... What happens if we _lose_ to Amanuma?"

"He hasn't told us either," Mitarai said. "You okay, Kaito?"

"Sure, I guess." Kaito scratched the back of his head. "He seems to enjoy the sport of it. Maybe he isn't interested in exacting penalties."

"You don't feel odd in any way?" Kurama asked.

"No..." Kaito shook his head. "No shocks, no soul sucking, nothing. I'm just annoyed I lost."

"Well then, this could mean..." Kurama mused aloud.

"What?" Yusuke turned to his friend curiously. "You've figured this thing out?"

"I'm afraid maybe I have," Kurama said gravely. "The danger isn't in losing... but in giving up. If this follows the video game..."

"Aw cripes! Not _that_ again!" Yusuke whined.

'Fraid so." Kurama raised a hand and explained. "Losing in the video game brings up the words 'game over.' Then you can choose to either continue or give up. If you continue, you skip the opening sequence and start the game over. But if you give up, the screen displays the graves of the players."

Yusuke listened and let Kurama's words sink in. He became pale as he put the pieces together. "You mean... we're _stuck here..._ playing against this kid until we _beat_ him?! _No frickin' way! We don't have the time!_ "

"Amanuma's not here to fight us to the death," Kurama elaborated. "He's buying time until the barrier tunnel is open."

Amanuma walked to the slot machine and pulled the lever. He turned to them and smirked. "And when it is, I'll release my territory. So relax and enjoy. Believe me, the time will pass quickly! We'll just play games until the portal to the Demon Plane is open. Then you can be on your merry way."

"So he's only out to _waste our time!_ " Yusuke glared at the boy. "And get his _kicks_ while he's at it."

"It's been almost _three hours!_ " Yanagisawa stressed. "Can't we get around this snarl somehow?!"

"It's play the games or die," Hiei said from the back.

"Hiei?" Yusuke looked at his friend curiously.

Hiei raised his right hand and saiid, "I've been trying to summon flames, but no go. And Sayomi has been trying to manifest from my shadow, but she can neither hear you nor phase between shadows freely. As in Kaito's territory, powers that could interfere don't function." He walked to a wall and took a seat on the floor. "That being the case, I'm useless. Wake me when it's over."

 _Hiei? Don't go to sleep! What's happening?!_

 _We only die if we quit. Kurama's up and I'm useless in these territories. Let me rest._

Yusuke blinked. "Sai's here too?"

"She probably snuck in with her ability, but now she's trapped by it," Genkai said.

Yusuke turned to the Kurama and asked, "What're our chances, y'think? I can't beat him."

"Good question," Kurama said. "The thing is, if I'm right... this isn't going to end well."

"Whatta you mean by that?" Yusuke asked.

Kurama looked at him and said, "Amanuma's not really aware of the extent of his ability. Sensui's just using him as a delaying tactic. But he's doing so in the cruelest way possible!"

The wheels on the slot machine stopped on the game for the round. "Puzzle. Three Sevens. Level G."

Yanagisawa raised his hand and leaned towards Kaito. "So what's this game about?"

"It's like Tetris and Puyo Pop, with falling blocks that number from one to seven and drop in various combinations. You eliminate them by making vertical or horizontal rows that add up to seven. But as the name implies, you can only eliminate the sevens by lining them up three in a row."

Yanagisawa cringed. "My head hurts just thinking about it."

"Experience and concentration are the keys, and once you're in the zone you can go on for hours."

" _Hours?_ "

Kaito pushed up his glasses and said, "It took me two hours to beat the video game's Gamer King. Minamino won't let it go that long. I figure he'll distract Amanuma somehow."

Kurama walked up to his podium and turned to the boy. "Amanuma... Let me ask you something."

"Sure," the boy smiled.

"Did Sensui suggest using the Game Battler for this?"

Yeah," Amanuma answered easily. "'It would be most fitting,' he said. I just said 'Heck yeah!'"

Kurama's fists clenched on his podium in anger. "Do you know what Sensui's trying to do?"

"Sure I do." Amanuma slipped his hands into his pockets and said, "Demons are gonna swarm out from the Demon Plane and create mass chaos. Sounds cool. And the best part is, _no more school!_ " He smiled and jerked his thumb at himself. "I'll be safe inside in my territory, with my games. No demon will ever be a serious challenge to me."

Kurama glared down at the controls in front of him. "If you lose _this_ game... you will die." He let the child absorb his words for a moment. "Were you aware of this?"

Amanuma crossed his arms and scoffed. "You're just trying to _unnerve_ me! Forget it! It won't work!"

"You, better than anyone, must be aware of how the video game ends," Kurama said quietly. "If the Gamer King loses, the game displays that he dies. It's an unusual situation. Your ability will make sure it actually happens. Let me guess... this is your first time using Game Battler, right?"

Amanuma blinked nervously at Kurama. "Yeah, it is." He turned to the red-head and raised his voice. "But it's so there'd be _seven_ opponents. Other games have always worked fine."

"Other games..." Kurama said, "That don't kill off the main character if he loses. But now you're committed to one that will. Sensui was probably aware of that."

 _Hiei?! Come on! Wake up! Tell me what's going on!_

"Wait a second, Kurama," Yusuke said worriedly. "Wasn't it you who said the kid wasn't it you who said the kid wasn't out to exact any penalties, let alone play for keeps? If he knew how it could end, why would he have even started all this in the first place?"

"As _you_ said..." Kurama countered. "Amanuma is a _kid._ And kids are easily swayed by adults who play to their childish impulses, as Sensui clearly did."

Amanuma stared up at Kurama in disbelief. Then the disembodied voice blared around them, scaring him out of his thoughts. "The game begins! The one whose screen fills to the top first loses!"

Amanuma quickly turned to face his screen as the blocks began to fall.

Yusuke watched the two players nervously. "So it's okay for us to just lose and lose, but Amanuma loses _once_ and _he's toast?_ And that jerkwater Sensui _knew_ that?"

"He played on Amanuma's youthful enthusiasm," Genkai explained. "He expected us to figure this out and just keep playing and losing, again and again _so Amanuma wouldn't die._ But Kurama means to win. He told Amanuma the truth to make him lose focus. That will save time. It's a cold, dirty, under-handed tactic. And humanity's only hope."

 _Hiei!_ Sayomi pleaded as loud as she could in his mind.

 _You don't have to scream._

Sayomi felt relief wash through her at the sound of his voice. _You weren't answering, though._

 _I was trying to sleep._

 _But what's happening out there?_

 _Kurama plans to win the game and put this all to an end._

 _Oh good._ Sayomi sighed. _Then we can move on._

 _The child will perish for it._

 _What?! And Kurama's still gonna go through with it?_

 _It's either waste time playing or we end it now and move on. Kurama understands the stakes and intends to act sooner rather than later. If the brat was smart, he wouldn't have let it get to this point._

 _But he's a child, Hiei..._

 _This wouldn't be the first child Kurama has killed in his days as the Fox Demon._

 _Maybe so... but when was the last time he killed a child since he became human?_ Hiei had either dozed off or chose to ignore her question. Either way, Sayomi didn't like the way things were turning out for them. _He might be bossy, but he's still a kid..._

Meanwhile, in Amanuma's territory, the kid was starting to visibly tremble. He perspired nervously as Kurama's words made him question his choices. He stared up at the screen with empty eyes, unaware of his growing disadvantage.

"The kid's blocks are piling up," Yanagisawa noted.

"He's really rattled," Kaito observed.

"Look... Um..." Amanuma smiled nervously at Kurama. " Isn't there a _way out_ of this?"

"It's your ability... You tell me." Kurama wiped out another row of blocks without missing a beat.

"Once I'm a character in a game..." Amanuma quickly returned his attention to the screen and back. "...I can't withdraw, or forfeit! Please..."

Kurama kept his gaze focused on his screen. "Sorry, kid... That's how it is. Sensui swayed you with his words, but you let yourself be swayed by them."

Amanuma listened as Kurama's words struck a chord in him. He bit his lip and sniffled as tears began to blur his vision. He smiled pleadingly at Kurama as tears slipped down his cheeks. "I know, I was _stupid,_ but I just... I just... Please, I don't wanna die..."

The blocks on Amanuma's screen continued to pile up. Amanuma tried to keep from crying as they came closer to the top. Once the last block filled the screen, there was a loud buzz.

"Game Over! Loser: The Gamer King!"

Everyone watched as the young boy collapsed to the floor. Hiei woke up at the sound of the announcement. The room around them faded away until they were back in the dark cave. Next to Amanuma's body was a regular game console with two controllers.

Sayomi manifested from Hiei's shadow and looked around the cave. She shifted back to infrared vision and gasped when she saw the young boy quickly losing body heat. _Oh no..._ She looked up at Kurama who stood still with clenched fists.

Yusuke slowly approached the red-head. "Kurama..." He shuddered when he saw his friend's expression.

Kurama glared ahead into the dark tunnel, his eyes promising no mercy on the one who forced his hand. "Let's go get Sensui."


	45. Chapter 45

Kaito lifted the late Amanuma into his arms. His body heat was gone and Sayomi felt a sense of regret for the child's involvement. She picked up the game console and handed it to Yanagisawa. "I know he won't miss it or anything, but I don't think we should just leave it here either."

Yanagisawa smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. "Don't worry. We'll take it from here."

Genkai turned to leave the cave with the two boys. Without turning back, she said, "Watch yourself, Sayomi. You let yourself become trapped already. Don't let them lure you into a false sense of security."

"Yes, Master Genkai." Sayomi bowed and turned to see Hiei waiting for her while the rest of the group had already moved on. She arched an eyebrow in curiosity, even though he couldn't see it, and left with him to follow them. _I didn't expect you to wait for me._

 _Try not to get used to it._

Sayomi smiled and shook her head. _Yeah, sure. So which way did they go?_

There was a moment of silence before Hiei responded. _They're about 600 meters ahead of us._

 _Already? I didn't think we took_ that _long. Should we catch up with them?_

 _You think you can keep up?_

 _Well, since we're in complete darkness, I don't have to use too much of my own aura. I should be okay. And I'm not actually fighting anything, so..._

As soon as Hiei took off down the tunnel, Sayomi merged with the darkness and manifested with the group. Hiei appeared just seconds after. She smirked over at him. _Hey, what took you so long?_

Hiei stuffed his hands in his pockets and followed behind the group in silence.

Sayomi turned her attention to Yusuke and the others. Yusuke was stealing worried glances at Kurama. She looked at the red-head and saw that he looked tense. Mitarai was at the lead, guiding them to the center. _Kurama... He must feel terrible for what he had to do. But Sensui didn't give him any other choice. How cruel must you be to manipulate a poor child?_

 _If that surprises you, then you must have lived a sheltered life._

Hiei's voice no longer irritated her. While she was trapped in his shadow, it was the only thing that she could hear. She felt safer knowing that she wasn't completely alone in the Void. _If this doesn't faze you, then you must have gone through Hell._

 _Trust me. I've done worse for less._

 _Maybe so, but would you do those same things now?_

 _If I must._

 _I couldn't do it. I may like fighting, but I probably couldn't kill so easily. The guilt would eat at me too much._

 _Even if it was you they were trying to kill? You would let them live?_

 _Well... If that were the case, then I guess I wouldn't have a choice, but I would rather not. The one who I owe this debt to strongly believed in not killing humans. I'm not really sure if he felt the same about demons, but I never saw him kill anything._

 _So who do you owe this debt to?_

Sayomi bit her lip as she debated whether to tell him or not. _Honestly, it's probably best I don't say. You can say it's his dying wish and I'd rather keep his identity secret._

 _You expect me to kill him?_

 _No, nothing like that. I'm just... I feel like I owe him my life. So the least I can do is respect his. He has enough enemies who want him dead and I don't want to do anything I may regret._

 _Is he strong?_

 _Yeah, but I heard he used to be stronger._

 _Is he the reason you wanted to get strong?_

 _No, but he was the one who gave me permission. There were others who only tolerated me, but only under his orders. Just a few were actually somewhat nice to me._

 _I see._

Sayomi looked at Hiei curiously. _Is something wrong?_

 _No._

"Next, we make a right," Mitarai said.

"I can tell," Kurama confirmed. "The miasma's getting thicker."

Sayomi could feel a breeze through the tunnel. If felt thick and a strong smell assaulted her nose. She glanced at Yusuke and saw him wiping away some sweat. _I guess he can feel it, too. I just hope he can handle being so close to it like this._

Mitarai suddenly stopped walking and the rest of the group stopped with him. He stared ahead nervously and said, "The cave veers left in 50 meters. That's the _center!"_

Sayomi clenched and unclenched her fists. She took in slow breaths to keep herself calm. _This is it. Once we stop Sensui, the portal won't open and they won't be able to come through._

They followed the tunnel and the darkness started to recede with a warm light. Sayomi shifted her vision back to the light spectrum. When they made it out of the tunnel, her mouth hung open and her eyes widened.

Sensui sat on a couch, facing a TV that was playing out sounds of screaming and gun fire. Standing next to him was a slender man dressed in white. He had long mint green hair that reached passed his shoulders.

" _Urmuffi!"_

" _Kuwabara!"_ Yusuke yelled.

Sayomi quickly followed the sound to find Kuwabara. He was bound by leather shackles that she recognized as slave bondage. They had him gagged with another strip of leather.

He and the tall human, Gourmet, sat in a boat in the middle of a lake. Just behind them was the tunnel to the Demon Plane. A horde of hungry, low-level demons pressed against the invisible wall that kept them out of reach of their friend.

"You humans are facing the Demon Plane for the first time..." Hiei commented. "And it's as _deadly_ as it looks! The very air is toxic to you."

"He's right," Sayomi said. "If it opens, this world won't last very long."

"The movie's just getting to the good part..." Sensui spoke up from the couch. "With a half hour left. The story's not terribly original. The theme seems to be genocide in the cause of a greater good." He stood up from his seat and turned to look at them. "Beautiful music at the end, though. When it plays, the tunnel will be complete."

 _So we only have 30 minutes?!_ Sayomi felt her shadow shift around her nervously.

"That's odd... Itsuki's _standing!"_ Mitarai said in surprise.

"Is there a reason he shouldn't be?" Sayomi asked, glancing at the boy without turning away from the threat.

"Till now he's been in that boat, the one they've got Kuwabara in," Mitarai explained.

Itsuki stood with his arms crossed. He turned to them with passive eyes. "I've done all I am able to do. The hole will open on its own, and nothing can stop it."

A loud crack alerted the group to the portal. Demons' arms were breaching through the barrier, trying to grab Kuwabara.

"Human flesh!"

"It's been centuries since we've tasted it!"

"Gaah!" Kuwabara yelled through his gag.

Sensui crossed his arms and smiled up at the tunnel. "Class-C demons, I'd say. Like pigs at a trough, all they want to do is gorge themselves. Class-B demons actually have more than their bellies on their minds. As for Class-A, some have a real quality of myth about them, and have even been deified. They will stay back, biding their time, waiting for the first flush of chaos to subside. In less than half an hour you will witness something truly historic. You might see _legendary creatures_ no one has laid eyes on in millennia. They were worshipped once, and _will be again!"_

" _Hmph!"_ Yusuke spat on the floor. "What a _load."_

Sensui smiled. "Too high-brow for you, eh? Makihara!"

"You rang?" The tall human jumped from the boat and landed next to Sensui.

Sensui said, "Defeat Makihara, and I'll return Kuwabara."

"What?" Yusuke blinked at Sensui in disbelief.

"Just what I said," Sensui confirmed. "In case you hadn't noticed, this is all about challenges."

"Don't trust them," Kurama whispered. "We'll play along and gauge the situation."

Sayomi smiled at Kurama with relief. _Good. He seems to be back to his usual self._

"Mitarai, I guess you're just here to save Kuwabara, huh?" Makihara asked. "Sensui's okay with that, but don't do anything that might upset the balance. He's made a deal, and he'll stick to it."

Mitarai stared at Makihara in shock.

"As for you, Kurama... Heh." The human psychic smirked. "You're not pleased you had to kill Amanuma, are you? You're _sick and angry_ about it, in fact."

Kurama twitched, drawing Sayomi's attention. _So it_ is _bothering him, then. Wait! How does_ he _know that?! Can he read –_ Sayomi felt the blood drain from her face as she remembered another human mind reader. _Oh no..._

" _Ah!"_ Yusuke gasped. "Don't tell me you've _–_ "

Makihara smirked. "'At's right, bro... I ate _Murota's_ ability."

"You sick monster..." Sayomi couldn't think of a more fitting description.

"Kurama..." Yusuke watched his friend step forward.

"Leave it to me." Kurama glared at Makihara with cold eyes and drew his Rose Whip from his hair. "It's me he's after anyway."

Makihara raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Just a couple seconds later, Makihara's head was cut in half at the jaw. As the body slumped to the floor, the top half of the human's head rolled away, leaving a bloody trail. Kurama stood calmly before the corpse and cracked the blood from his whip.

" _What the...?!"_ Yusuke stared in morbid shock at the quick blow.

Makihara's body twitched and Mitarai couldn't look away. "What'd he _do?!_ I didn't see anything..."

Kurama glared down at the body with unforgiving eyes. Sayomi swallowed a lump in her throat as she replayed the attack in her mind. _He didn't give him a chance to predict his moves. He just went for the quickest death with the least amount of effort._

"You're a lousy actor, y'know that?" Kurama asked, staring down at Makihara's body. "Show yourself, _Toguro."_

 _Toguro?!_ Sayomi stared down at the body and she felt a shiver run through her body. _The creepy one that Kuwabara fought? I thought his brother killed him already!_

"Heh..." Sensui smirked.

"Your emoting aside, I can _smell_ you," Kurama warned.

For a moment, Makihara's body laid still on the ground. Then it began to move. "Heh heh..." The body sat up, despite not having a head.

" _Yee!"_ Yusuke cringed.

Sayomi could only watch in horror as something squirmed up the corpse's throat. Before long, the Elder Toguro's head emerged from the decapitated Makihara. _Okay, that was just disgusting._

He smirked and said, "Didn't fool you for a second, eh? Your sense of smell has become quite acute."

"The _Elder_ Toguro!" Yusuke recognized the short crazy demon. "Makihara... He was already dead...?"

Mitarai stared at the demon with obvious fear.

"Yes, mostly." Toguro licked his lips and smirked. "His ability, Gourmet, lives on... in _me._ After my treacherous brother blew me to bits, I slowly regenerated in the ocean. Half my head was restored by the time I washed ashore, and all I could think about was getting revenge on you all. I emitted a signal at a specific wavelength that only someone with power and evil in his soul could pick up. I figured it might be years before someone showed, but it turned out to be hardly any time at all..."

 _So this whole time..._ Sayomi glanced down at the severed top half of Makihara's head. _Is this freak really immortal? But everything has to die, right? What the hell is he? And Sensui_ helped _him?!_

"Yes, it was Sensui," Toguro purred.

Sayomi shivered as she realized he was listening to her thoughts.

Sensui smiled and said, "He told me all about you, Urameshi. It stirred an odd sense of destiny in me. At that moment I knew it was time to put my plan into action. My plan to obliterate humanity."

" _Dun lizzin to im! Hehz chrssy!"_ Kuwabara screamed from the boat.

Ignoring him, Sensui continued. "I gathered suitable comrades... those with the potential to awaken their abilities."

"Makihara was a prime find." Toguro pointed at the body he took over. "His ability is singularly nasty and useful. You saw it when he ate me, Mitarai. But I proved a _bit too much_ for a mere human with that ability to digest. The result, of course, was that I started to take him over. He tried to fight me, but it was no contest. I rather enjoyed the pain and terror he felt..."

"That's enough," Kurama said sternly. "You've had your fun... _scum."_

" _Ha ha ha!"_ Toguro laughed out loud. "How typically _arrogant!_ But I'm _not_ the demon you once faced! I can _regenerate,_ I can _absorb abilities,_ and I can read minds! I am your _worst nightmare!_ I will _devour you_ and gain the _power of the Demon Fox!"_

Without a word, Kurama raised his arms and white smoke blew out from his sleeves. He glared at Toguro as they became surrounded by the fog.

"He threw up a _smoke screen!"_ Yusuke yelled. "I _can't see_ what's going on!"

Sayomi shifted to infrared vision and tried to make out the shapes in the smoke. _Damn, not this again. Is he planning to become the Fox Demon again?_

Meanwhile, in the fog, Toguro stood still. He smirked as he listened for Kurama's thoughts. When he got a lock on the fox, he dashed forward. " _Hah!"_

Toguro closed in on a startled Kurama and shoved his hand through the red-head's stomach. He grinned as he watched the thief bleed out.

Kurama looked at Toguro, blood spilling from his mouth. "Well? Is that it?"

" _Huh?"_ Toguro blinked and glared angrily. "Trying to _act tough?!_ Then how's _this?!"_

Toguro stabbed and cut through Kurama furiously. Despite his efforts, Kurama only smirked at him, mocking him with his eyes.

" _Grr!"_ Toguro glared at Kurama with annoyed hatred. " _Grraugh!"_

"Sounds like a _slaughter_ in there!" Yusuke exclaimed. "But I only hear Toguro! If Kurama's dead..."

" _Take that! And that!"_ Toguro yelled through the smoke.

Yusuke gritted his teeth as he tried to peer through the thick obstruction. "Then why does Toguro keep fighting? What's going on...?"

Sayomi smirked and shifted out of the infrared spectrum. She let out a sigh of relief.

"Ah!" Hiei noticed and pointed to the side. "Look."

Yusuke followed the swordsman's finger and gasped when he saw a figure walking out of the smoke. " _Kurama!"_

Kurama glanced to the side and said, "Toguro's finished."

" _Finished?!"_ Yusuke turned back to the fog and said, " _He's still fighting!_ But if you're _here,_ Kurama, then who...?"

" _Raagh!"_

After a couple minutes, the breeze from the portal blew the area clear of smoke.

" _Yeow!"_ Yusuke's eyes widened at the sight.

Sayomi took a step back when she realized what Kurama had done. _I knew he was okay, but this is not what I was expecting..._

A large tree without leaves was rooted into the ground. Its branches wrapped securely around Toguro, holding him above the ground as he yelled in a blind rage. Toguro looked withered as his eyes stared blindly at nothing. "He won't die! _Why won't he die?!"_

"That tree is a parasite that casts illusions to lure in its prey," Kurama explained. "I planted the seed when I decapitated him."

"So you threw up that smoke screen not to blind him, but to keep the illusions contained," Hiei realized.

"That's right," Kurama confirmed.

"That's kinda creepy..." Sayomi muttered under her breath.

"Whyyyyyy..." Toguro begged in agony. "Whyyy won't he _diiiie...?"_

"That tree will hold him until it's sucked every trace of life from him," Kurama said. "But Toguro can't die. He'll fight my ghost... _for all eternity."_ He turned to Sensui and raised his fingers. "Two more."

Sensui and Itsuki just watched them without any sense of worry. Sayomi narrowed her eyes at them. _They don't seem rattled at all. Why are they so confident?_

"You said you'd release Kuwabara if we beat him," Yusuke said. He kept a trained glare on his predecessor. "Not that your refusal would stop us."

"Heh..." Sensui smiled. "I'll keep my promise. In fact..." He turned to the empty boat in the lake. "I already have."

"Kuwabara..." Yusuke stared at the boat in confusion. "He's _not_ in the boat!"

"Where did he go?" Sayomi asked.

" _Mrrf!"_

Everyone turned to see Kuwabara sitting behind them. He was still bound and gagged and his teeth grinded through the leather wrap.

"Oh..." Sayomi blinked. "There he is."

"H-How'd you get here?!" Yusuke yelled. "What's _goin' on,_ man?!"

Kurama kneeled down next to him and began to unfasten Kuwabara's gag. As soon as the leather was removed, Kuwabara gasped and spat on the floor. "Fwah! I was grabbed by these _weird hands_ and thrown into the darkness, then somehow I was here..."

 _The darkness?_ Sayomi's eyes widened in fear. _Was it a shadow demon?_ She was snapped out of her thoughts when she saw the ground get darker. When she turned around, she saw large eyes staring up at her from the large shadow. "Uh... Guys...?"

Before she could say more, the floor vanished from beneath them and they fell into a strange abyss that was the creature's mouth.

" _Yeow!"_ Yusuke yelled in surprise.

The beast shut its mouth and chewed until it spit up Yusuke. The delinquent flew in the air and landed hard on his head. " _Gurnf!"_ He sat up and rubbed the growing bump. He glared at Sensui as he got to his feet. "Arr..."

Itsuki smiled and melted into the floor. "I'll see to the others."

Yusuke ignored the third party and kept his glare on Sensui. "You take, give back, then take again. What kinda yo-yo game is this?"

Sensui smirked down at the boy. "Don't worry, your friends are safe. There's a matter you and I need to... discuss."

Meanwhile, Sayomi and the others floated in a dark abyss. Trash and debris floated around them. She shuddered when she saw a skeleton.

"Wh-Where are we?" Mitarai asked.

" _Hey!"_ Kuwabara yelled. " _Somebody untie me!"_

As Sayomi made her way to help Kuwabara, Kurama answered Mitarai's question. "We're in hyper-space. Devoured by the Inverse Man."

"Y'mean the 2-D demon who lives between dimensions?" Hiei asked.

"Yes." Kurama looked around at the surrounding junk. "Looks like someone's controlling it."

"That's true." Everyone turned to see Itsuki manifesting before them. "It's sort of my pet."

"You're a demon, too?" Kurama asked.

"I'm Itsuki, the Dark Night Stroker." Itsuki smiled as two hands appeared behind him. They had small eyes scattered over them that moved around individually.

Sayomi took in deep breaths to calm her nerves. "Um, can someone explain what that is? I've never heard of these demons before."

"It's a demon who possesses shadow hands, which allows free passage between dimensions. He's one of few with the ability to command lesser demons living in different dimension," Hiei answered.

"I see," Mitarai muttered.

"So he _is_ a shadow demon?" Sayomi asked in wonder.

"A variety of the sort, but, unlike you, I don't have to worry about fading into the Void. I merely exist between dimensions and command it's weaker denizens." He smirked at her and said, "You could probably defeat me, if you have enough self-control."

"He's the one been yankin' me! _Lemme at 'im!"_ Kuwabara snarled.

Itsuki raised a hand and said, "Please, I didn't bring you here to fight. We're simply an audience."

"Audience to what?" Sayomi asked. She glared at the demon before her, refusing to give into her impulses around him.

Itsuki crossed his arms and said, "Each of us serves a charismatic leader... isn't that so?"

"Yeah?" Kuwabara asked. "Then I'd like to know what it is that _draws you to Sensui!"_

Itsuki smiled. "Everything." He looked down at his hands as he said, "His strength and weakness, his innocence and worldliness... in short, the _richness_ of every human quality he possesses. We were enemies when we first met. He was already so powerful that it was said, 'no demon that sees Sensui lives to tell of it.' And he did, in fact, kill every demon he fought. But he didn't kill me. He asked if I had any last words, and I asked to live one more day to see Jun Togawa on _Hit Studio._ Funny, eh? A glimpse of my human side was, at the time, a shock of such intensity it turned Sensui's world upside down. We chatted for nearly an hour. He seemed younger than his age. He killed in the matter of an elite assassin, yet his soul was pure as new-fallen snow." Itsuki raised a hand to stroke his lip. "For me it was like falling in love with a time bomb."

Kuwabara cringed and said, "Now you're getting _weird."_

"You might've stopped him before things got this far," Kurama said.

Itsuki closed his eyes and smiled. "Why would I do that?"

"You know, to keep his purity from becoming corrupted," Sayomi suggested.

Itsuki stared at her and said, "I yearned to watch him grow scarred and defiled, a fallen angel."

"What...?" Kuwabara asked, keeping a safe distance from the demon.

Itsuki smiled and raised a hand. "Imagine the sordid pleasure of showing terrible things to innocent people, who are barely able to comprehend them. These kinds of dark desires are not far from any demon's heart. Sensui's reactions to the ugly side of humanity were, for me, a dream come true. Unable to assimilate or rationalize it, he sank deeper into despair. And as he sank, he grew _stronger."_

"You _psycho!"_ Kuwabara yelled in disgust. "So _you're_ the root of all this evil!"

"Perhaps," Itsuki answered easily. "But Sensui acted at all times of his own volition. I was merely his shadow. He made the decisions, and I served his ends. And I will do so for as long as he wishes." He looked at Sayomi and said, "It's not much different for you, is it?"

"Don't you _dare_ lump me in the same category as you," Sayomi said sternly. "Yusuke isn't as crazy as Sensui."

"It would please me to kill you now..." Kurama threatened.

"But you know better than to try." Itsuki pointed a thumb behind him. "Kill me, and you'll never escape from here." Just behind him, two large windows opened in the darkness. "And now, my friends, let us watch..."

Sayomi looked through the windows, the Inverse Man's eyes, and saw Yusuke and Sensui in a stand-off. _Yusuke... You got this. I know you can beat this guy!_

Down beside the lake, Sensui tapped his head and said, "During my time as an Underworld Detective, I sensed the rot setting in inside me." Yusuke stared at him in confusion as Sensui raised his hands. "But I didn't want it to stop. Would you like to know why? Because I realized it arose from my very existence. You yourself will find out that..." He clenched his fist. "However much you fight for what seem the right reasons, you will soon start to seek reasons _to_ fight. Eventually reasons won't matter." He pointed at Yusuke and said, "The demon tunnel only mattered as a means of bringing us to this moment of confrontation."

Yusuke picked at his ear with his pinky, tuning out Sensui's rant. Then he disappeared from Sensui's view and closed in on his left flank. Yusuke quickly followed through with a right cross that penetrated Sensui's defense and hit him in the jaw. Sensui was sent skidding back across the floor while he kneeled down to keep his balance.

Yusuke glared down at him and asked, "So you wanted to fight me? Why didn't you just ask?" He jerked his thumb at his chest and said, "To me, fighting has always been an end in itself. That I get to take on threats to the Human World is just icing on the cake. You complicate things... _I don't!"_

"Heh heh... Such simplicity must be nice." Sensui stood up and raised his hand to summon a ball of aura. "Fine, then."


	46. Chapter 46

Sensui wiped the blood from his mouth, still holding his orb of aura. He stared at Yusuke and said, "Urameshi... On a power scale of one to ten, you're a ten. Me, I'm just a six or seven."

Yusuke blinked at his predecessor in confusion.

Sensui looked down at the blood on his fingers. "You're doubtless faster and more agile, with more endurance..." He looked back at Yusuke. "But you still won't be able to beat me. Sall I tell you why?"

Yusuke glared and spoke through clenched teeth. "Let me guess... You got rocks in your head!" He dashed. " _And I ain't lettin' you kick that ball!"_

He fired off a barrage of punches. Sensui blocked each one with his free arm and a raised knee. Yusuke leaned back, just barely missing Sensui's surprise kick by a scratch. " _Unh! Raah!"_ Hequickly countered with a right cross, but Sensui blew it aside. He followed through with a kick to Yusuke's back, sending him crashing across the floor.

" _Hrn!"_ Yusuke sat up and winced. Then he crouched on his feet and glared at Sensui. " _You lie like a dog!_ If I'm _faster,_ how come you can _fend off_ my punches?"

Sensui smirked. "Reason one why you can't beat me... I can vaguely foresee your impending moves."

Yusuke gritted his teeth and yelled, "Whatcha mean ' _vaguely'?!_ Start making _sense, dude!"_

"I have instincts honed by a lifetime of fighting demons," Sensui answered. "Even when you surprise me, as you did at first, my instincts kick in and trigger responses I'm no longer even fully aware of."

" _I've been in my share of fights, creep!"_ Yusuke dashed. He closed in on Sensui and, at the last second, threw a feint and punched down into the ground.

The dust and debris forced Sensui to shield his eyes. He saw a shadow jump into the air through the dirty cloud. " _Above me!"_ His eyes widened when he only saw a large boulder. He quickly looked down as the dust began to settle.

Yusuke smirked, crouching just in front of Sensui. "Below you." He punched up into Sensui's stomach in rapid succession and watched him splash into the lake.

" _Awright!"_ Kuwabara cheered. " _Urameshi's Special-Delivery Gut-Smasher!_ I had a _stomachache for a week_ after one of those!"

"What did you just call it?" Sayomi asked, arching her brow in confusion. "And why are you so proud of that?"

"I'd like to see _you—"_ Kuwabara froze when he realized he was talking to Sayomi. "Oh... Well, it just really hurts, okay?"

"Get back up here!" Yusuke yelled down at the lake. "No way yer just gonna _drown!"_

There was a brief moment of silence before Sensui breached the surface. "Very well... But I'm less presentable."

As Sensui made his way out of the water without his shirt, Sayomi felt her jaw drop.

" _Gack!"_ Kuwabara cringed. "Man! Check out those _scars!_ He's _really_ been through the _grinder!"_

Sensui turned to look up and said, "No, Kuwabara... these scars came out of training. Not one was made by an enemy."

Yusuke braced himself as Sensui started walking towards him. Just behind Sensui, an orb of aura ascended from the lake and floated to his side.

"He's got _remote-controlled aura!"_ Kuwabara gritted his teeth nervously.

"Could be trouble," Kurama warned.

" _Hmph!"_ Sensui's aura flared around his body. Small orbs of light shot out from several directions until he was surrounded by them.

" _Could_ be _...?"_ Sayomi whispered.

"Man, _lookit_ all those!" Kuwabara yelled. "All that _aura,_ combined, could outdo _Yusuke's Reigun!"_

Sensui grinned wickedly. "I think I'll try something. _Here I go!"_ The orbs of light clustered down by his foot. " _Violet Flame Kick!"_ Hekicked the aura ball and the smaller balls scattered. They honed in on Yusuke and accelerated.

" _Grr!"_ Yusuke ducked, jumped and dodged out of the way. The moment he settled on the ground, an orb crashed into his face. The force of the blow knocked him off his feet and three more assaulted him. " _Unh!"_ He got back up to a crouch and jumped out of the way of another incoming wave. "Hrf!"

Yusuke gasped when he saw a quick shadow in his peripheral. Before he could turn to look, Sensui kicked him in the face.

" _Gah...!"_ The blow sent Yusuke skidding across the ground. The aura balls crashed into him immediately after. "Hrrn!"

" _Urameshi!"_ Kuwabara yelled.

" _Yusuke!"_ Sayomi shouted.

As the dust began to settle, Yusuke took a moment to breathe. "Whoo! Sheesh!" He hopped back to his feet and snarled, "Try something _else,_ Bub!"

Sensui smirked and pointed at Yusuke. "You're a tough cookie, I'll say that, but you can't win. Reason two—you're vulnerable to multi-angled attacks."

"How's that?" Yusuke asked. He dripped with blood and sweat and his clothes were ripped and stained.

"You're far too used to fighting one-on-one." Sensui instantly produced another volley of aura balls. "I, on the other hand, always found myself confronting multiple enemies, and this is the technique I devised to deal with them. It's really quite spectacular."

As Sensui's aura filled the cave, Yusuke braced himself. The pressure lasted just moments, but it was enough to stun Yusuke. "Holy Cow! And he's already expended a _ton_ of aura!"

"The disparity..." Kurama broke into a cold sweat. "It's far wider than I'd expected."

Sayomi could only stare down in horror as she realized what they were really up against. _But... How...? Please don't tell me_ he _was the one I was supposed to find..._

"The clincher, reason three..." Sensui smiled. "I possess total aura capacity. On an aura scale where you count as ten... I score _one hundred!"_

He gathered his aura by his foot, and kicked it at Yusuke again. Yusuke braced himself and brought up his arms to block. Sensui's aura rained down on him full-force. Unable to hold his ground, Yusuke was knocked back off his feet.

Sensui looked down at him and said, "My second aura salvo. See? You can't dodge them all." As he spoke, he produced a third.

Yusuke brought himself up to a kneel. He was covered in cuts and bruises. He glared at Sensui in defiance.

" _Get up, Urameshi! Get up! Get up!"_ Kuwabara yelled desperately.

Sayomi cringed behind Kuwabara. _Does he have to be so loud?_

 _The oaf doesn't have self-control. He only acts on impulse._ Hiei thought bluntly.

" _Zip it! I Heardja the first time!"_ Yusuke yelled. He forced himself to his feet, ignoring his straining legs. He spun his arm in large circle to loosen up. "Ready for another round? I am! Doesn't matter how much aura you got... I'll keep comin' back!"

"I'm convinced you will. But for how long? _Violet Flame Kick!_ " Sensui gathered his aura and kicked it at Yusuke.

" _Rrr..."_ Yusuke prepared himself for the assault. Then he dashed towards it. " _Raah!"_

"Hmph!" Sensui's eyes narrowed in mild confusion.

Yusuke punched and blocked every orb that crossed his path. Once he was through, he jumped high into the air and shouted, " _It don't hurt!_ If I can't dodge 'em, _I'll suck 'em up and attack!"_

"Ha!" Sayomi grinned. "That is _so_ Yusuke."

"He figures it's better to take the blows and go on the offensive," Kurama realized. "Makes sense. A single aura ball isn't that powerful."

Yusuke rushed Sensui with another swarm of rapid punches. Sensui blocked each one, stepping back to keep a safe enough distance.

"So much for _one_ of your 'unbeatable' reasons!" Yusuke snarled. "And how about your _instincts,_ eh?! _Did they anticipate this?!"_

Yusuke jumped up into the air. Sensui braced himself for an aerial attack. Yusuke landed with a loud splash into the lake. He swam across, glaring at Sensui the whole while. "Ha ha ha! Well? C'mon! What am I gonna do _next?!"_

" _You idiot!"_ Kuwabara screamed. " _Why're you takin' a swim?!"_

"'Cuz he's an idiot?" Hiei asked dryly.

"Heh heh heh..." Sayomi laughed under her breath.

When Yusuke made it to shore, he grinned and said, "Ah, that was refreshing. Shall we go another round?" Without waiting for an answer, he dashed. " _Raah!"_

Sensui smirked. "You just took a dip to catch your breath, and now it's back to your usual barrage of punches, eh?"

A loud rip drew Sensui's attention. Taking advantage of the distraction, Yusuke whipped his wet shirt and used it to tie his arm to Sensui's. Yusuke gripped the end of the shirt tightly, keeping Sensui locked in.

"He tore up his wet T-shirt and wrapped it _around Sensui's arm!"_ Kuwabara commentated.

"So that's what you were up to!" Sensui realized.

"You got it, Bunky." Yusuke grinned. "Now you can't get away... _from this!"_ He threw a powerful right uppercut into Sensui's stomach.

" _Urgh!"_ Sensui lost his breath on impact.

The blow knocked Sensui back and off his feet. As he slammed into the ground, Yusuke landed on him hard with all of his weight. Yusuke immediately punched Sensui in the face in rapid succession with his free fist.

"Ya _got_ 'im, Yusuke!" Kuwabara cheered. " _Now finish him off!"_

" _One more!"_ Yusuke yelled, charging his fist for a final blow.

A loud clap echoed throughout the cave.

Sayomi's eyes widened as she saw blood shoot out from Yusuke's back and spill from his mouth.

The attack forced the shirt to tear as Yusuke was sent flying through the air. He landed on his back with a hard thud and spit up more blood. " _Hurk!"_

" _Yusuke!"_ Kuwabara cried out.

"What _was_ that?" Sayomi couldn't tear her eyes away from her charge.

"A gun..." Kurama answered. "Built into his arm..."

Sensui glared down at Yusuke. He growled and grinded his teeth as he started walking towards the boy, who was trying to get up. "You stupid brat... You lowlife _loser! Don't get cocky!"_

"Sensui's changed... drastically!" Kurama noted.

"He's finally _lost it!"_ Kuwabara yelled.

"He's just switched out," Itsuki said from behind them. "We're now watching Kazuya, wielder of the Aura Gun."

"' _Kazuya?!'"_ Kuwabara pointed down at the match. "What're you talking about? Isn't that _Shinobu_ Sensui?!"

"Unless he has a twin or something," Sayomi suggested.

"It's another persona," Kurama deduced.

"That's right." Itsuki nodded. "Sensui created several to deal with the never-ending pressures of battle. He's developed seven so far, including Shinobu, the original and host."

" _What?!"_ Kuwabara reeled.

" _Seven?!"_ Mitarai gasped. "I didn't know!"

"So if this is Kazuya, who was he fighting before?" Sayomi asked.

"Minoru was fighting earlier," Itsuki answered. "He's talkative, argumentative, and very proud. He must've switched with Kazuya when Yusuke made that sudden comeback. Kazuya is sort of Sensui's closer. Demon or infant, he'll gladly kill it."

"That's just sick..." Sayomi said, repulsed by Itsuki's description.

Kazuya stopped beside Yusuke's beaten body. Yusuke was laying on his back again, gritting his teeth against the pain. Then Sensui kicked Yusuke hard and sent him up into the air. Yusuke landed on his side, clutching the bullet wound and screaming. " _Gyaah! Hack! Hurk!"_

Kazuya smirked down at him sadistically and said, "Like that 'ace up the sleeve,' punk? Minoru didn't quite tell you the truth. Y'see, there're actually _four_ reasons you won't beat Sensui..." He aimed his gun down at Yusuke. "And that fourth reason is _me!"_

He shot Yusuke multiple times in his arms and legs without hesitation.

" _Aaagh!"_ Yusuke screamed.

"Heh..." Kazuya grinned. "How _exquisitely_ you suffer. It really gets me going... Hee hee..." He reached down and picked Yusuke up by his hair, forcing him to look up. Kazuya aimed his gun under the boy's chin. "Still, let's say goodbye now. S'long..."

" _Stop!"_

Kazuya looked up at the cave exit and saw Koenma in his Human World body.

The young prince was sweating and slightly out of breath. He glared at Sensui and, with stern authority, said, "This has gone far enough!"

Kazuya's eyes narrowed murderously at his old boss. "Koenma..."

"You heard me," Koenma said. "Don't compound your sins further."

Kazuya slowly lowered his gun. Then his eyes widened when he looked down. He quickly threw Yusuke across the floor where he landed hard on his back. "That was _close!_ He still had energy left."

Yusuke forced his eyes open to glare at the prince. "Koenma... Why'd you interfere... now? I was gonna... nail him point blank with... my most _powerful shot..."_ The Reigun blast at his fingertip slowly began to recede back into his body.

"I nearly forgot Koenma chose you as Shinobu's successor, and Koenma's no fool," Kazuya said. He turned and pointed at his former boss. "Shinobu's asleep, Koenma. I'm Kazuya. I'll take no orders from you. But don't get me wrong... we _all_ decided to do this thing, Shinobu included."

"It's like he's discussing it with a committee," Kurama noticed.

"True enough..." Itsuki allowed. "When you consider the distinct personalities involved. Shinobu is the central one, the pivot. Three others deal with matters of combat, and the other three with... other things."

"Such as...?" Sayomi asked, annoyed with his long pauses.

"One's a female called Naru, and she's no warrior, not by a long shot. She's shy, naïve, and sensitive. She often confided her problems to me, and I was always there to comfort her when things got heavy. I was the only one who knew about her. After Shinobu, she was my favorite."

" _Stop!"_ Kuwabara brought his hands up to cover his ears. "This is getting _way too weird!"_

"All this time... Sensui was the prime mover..." Kurama deduced.

"That's right," Itsuki confirmed. "We were merely his pawns."

 _And he's okay with that?_ Sayomi couldn't believe what she was hearing. She looked back down at Koenma and Sensui. _Whatever you're planning Koenma, I hope it works._

"Bring out Shinobu," Koenma requested. "I want to talk with him."

"Well, Shinobu...?" Kazuya paused and tilted his head, as if he was listening to something. Then he smirked and tapped his chest with his gun. "He'll pass, thanks. You're stuck with me, heh heh..."

Koenma narrowed his eyes and started walking towards him. "That's fine, he can hear me. And I want to say even now it's not too late to stop this nonsense."

"It _is_ too late. Look!" Kazuya gestured to the doorway behind him. "The hole is _finished._ We're just waiting for it to open."

Koenma stopped walking and stared at Kazuya. Then he removed his pacifier.

" _Eh?!"_ Kazuya's eyes widened.

The pacifier was emitting a powerful aura. Koenma kept his gaze on Kazuya and said, "I can seal up that hole with another force field. You see, this is concentrating my aura to repress a dark age that's still a few centuries away. It's the Evil Seal Ring, and I may activate it early. So thwarting your plans is really no problem... unless you kill me and take the ring."

"I... get the picture..." Kazuya glared dangerously at Koenma.

"Talk it out amongst yourselves. Which will it be—continue, or stop?"

"Fine..." Kazuya crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

Sayomi stared down at the scene in awe. _So_ that's _why he always had it in his mouth? Yusuke always made fun of him for it, but it's actually pretty impressive._

 _What do you mean?_

Sayomi glanced at Hiei, who kept his eyes down at the young ruler. _Well, it's just that I never got a reading on how strong Koenma really is. I knew he had power and authority, but I never really knew what he could do. Now that I'm seeing it myself, I gotta say it's pretty cool._

Kazuya opened his eyes and tilted his head with a smirk. "We've discussed it, Koenma... and reached a _unanimous_ decision."

Koenma stared at his former detective solemnly, and waited patiently for his answer.

Kazuya pointed at Koenma with his gun. "We will continue, first by killing you."

Koenma closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Then he raised the pacifier and Yusuke snatched it out of his hand. Koenma's eyes snapped open and stared at Yusuke in disbelief. Kazuya mimicked the prince's stunned confusion.

" _Urameshi!"_ Kuwabara yelled in horror.

"What the _hell,_ Yusuke?!" Sayomi shouted angrily.

"You guys forget about li'l ol' me?" Yusuke asked.

"Eh?" Koenma stepped back and gawked at Yusuke when he realized what happened to his ring.

"I've got a major stake in this, y'know." Yusuke tossed the ring up, trying not to hold onto it for too long. "Bleah! _Slobbery!"_ He glared at Kazuya and let the glowing ring hover in his hand. "Anyway... I'm ready for the next round."

"Ah yes," Kazuya remembered. "You trained under Genkai. You learned how to heal yourself."

"She's not the only one I learned from," Yusuke said.

Sayomi couldn't stop from smiling at Yusuke's comment. _Although, he did get a lot better once he became Master Genkai's successor. He doesn't really need me around anymore at this point, but..._

" _Hey, you idiot! Give that back!"_ Koenma yelled.

" _Nuh-uh!"_ Yusuke took off running around the cave with the ring.

"Whoa! Stop!" Koenma chased after him desperately. "Not down your _pants!_ This is _no time_ to be foolin' around! Give me th—"

" _Stay outta this, ya old fart!"_ Yusuke turned and punched Koenma in the face.

" _Pluh!"_ Koenma flew back through the air, spitting up blood. He landed on his back with a hard thud and passed out.

Sayomi stared down at Yusuke with wide eyes. _Did he just_ punch Koenma?!

 _About time_ someone _did it._

 _Why didn't_ you _do it, Hiei?_

 _I don't want to be stuck here longer than necessary._

"Okay, that's done. Let's get down to it." Yusuke turned to Kazuya and pinned him with an irritated glare. "Sensui... One of you said you didn't care about the portal anymore. Truth is, neither do I. It's just about you and me. I don't care what happens after that."

"I believe he means it..." Kurama said nervously.

"It's just Urameshi being Urameshi," Kuwabara told him.

Yusuke frowned as he stared down Kazuya. He pointed at the man and said, "However, I'm tired of _you._ I wanna fight someone else. The guy I was fighting earlier... he'll do. Get him out here."

Kazuya glared at Yusuke and bared his teeth. "What're you talking about? You'll fight _me!"_

"Feh..." Yusuke scoffed. "Waste of my time, man."

"How _dare..."_ Kazuya aimed his gun at Yusuke, but the boy disappeared from sight and reappeared in front of him to push the gun aside. " _you—_ " Yusuke threw several punches through Kazuya's stomach as hard as he could. " _Bletch!"_ Kazuya doubled over, clutching his stomach in agony.

" _Yeeow! Grarr!"_ Yusuke fought the impulse to follow Sensui's example with his arm. " _It don't hurt a bit!"_ Ignoring the pain, he walked towards Sensui. "No more messin' around. Get the other guy out. We got things to settle, him an' me."

" _Hrk! Guuuh... Unnnh..."_ Sensui coughed and gasped for breath. Then he became quiet and still. He slowly stood up on his feet to face Yusuke.

"Well? Who are _you?"_ Yusuke asked.

Sensui smiled pleasantly at Yusuke, despite his bleeding mouth, and said, "I'm Shinobu. Nice to meet you."

"What...?" Sayomi arched her brow in confusion. _He looks... different from the other two. His eyes look... clear._

"Hm..." Kurama's eyes widened at the unexpected change.

"'Nice to meet you'…?" Kuwabara ground his teeth nervously.

"Oh gosh, he's..." Mitarai was taken aback by Sensui's new persona.

"We've never actually talked before, have we. In fact, this is the first time I've been 'out' in quite a while." Sensui walked towards Yusuke and extended his hand. "How do you do?"

"Heh... Heh heh..." Yusuke smirked. " _Don't mess with me!_ " He threw a punch, but Sensui used his momentum to flip him over. Yusuke blinked in confusion.

Sensui brought his foot down and stomped on Yusuke's abdomen.

" _Gyaah!_ " Yusuke screamed as his bullet wound reopened.

Without a hint of change in his focused stare, Sensui stomped down on Yusuke again. And again. And again, until the boy was limp and barely breathing.

"Unh... _Koff!_ " Yusuke laid on his back, unable to even twitch a finger.

Sensui reached down to grasp his hand and gave it a firm shake. "I'm fine, thanks."

" _Not after this!_ " Yusuke threw a punch and hit the air. Yusuke blinked and watched Sensui walk away. His eye twitched in irritation and he frowned. "Hey..."

"Itsuki..." Sensui looked up towards the Inverse Man. "I need a spare arm."

As a pair of eyeball-covered hands presented Sensui with a new shirt, Mitarai broke into a cold sweat. "This is a Sensui I've never seen. He seems complete now... whole."

"It's kinda creepy..." Sayomi said.

"Multiple personas? Hah!" Kuwabara scoffed. "He's only been _one guy_ all along! _Y'get it, Urameshi?! He's just one guy! Don't let 'im freak ya out!_ "

 _If this is the original Sensui... I'm getting a bad feeling about this..._ Sayomi clenched her fist anxiously.

Yusuke got to his feet and smirked. "Pleased to meet you, too."

Sensui glanced at him. Then he smiled with his eyes wide open. " _Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!_ "

Sayomi, Kurama, Hiei, Kuwabara, and Mitarai watched the scene in shock.

" _Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!_ " As Sensui laughed, his aura shook up the whole cave. Large rocks crashed down to the ground from its pressure alone. As he calmed down, his aura radiated around him with a brilliant light.

Yusuke's eyes widened as he noticed the strange energy. "His aura, it's... _gold!_ "

"It's not _human!_ " Kurama realized.

"Or demonic, either," Hiei commented.

"So then, what _is_ it?" Sayomi asked in wonder.

"Unh... Oww..." Koenma began to stir on the floor. When he sat up, he rubbed his chin in pain. When he looked up, he forgot about his pain and he stared in awe and fear. "Oh no... He's radiating _Holy Chi!_ The ultimate aura! Even Genkai couldn't attain it! Yet _you_ have, in just ten years..."

Sensui looked at his former boss and said, "It's a matter if innate talent, Koenma." Then he turned to his successor. "Urameshi, even if you had ten times the aura you do now, it would be far from holy. _"_ He jumped. "Mine is, however, and that's worrisome. I don't want to seem like a bully." He landed in front of Yusuke and threw a single right punch.

" _Agh!_ " Yusuke blocked with his arm, but the attack sent him flying into the far cavern wall. "Gluh..." He fell to the ground in a heap of rocks. "Hff... Hrff..." He forced himself to his feet, bleeding and out of breath.

" _Raah!_ " Yusuke charged and pounded Sensui with an onslaught of punches.

"Heh heh... _Ha ha ha!_ " Sensui stood before Yusuke without bothering to block. Every punch hit his torso or face, but he took them like he couldn't feel them. " _Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!_ "

Sensui snagged Yusuke's arm mid-punch and said, "You need some rest." He gently punched up into Yusuke's forearm.

" _Gyaaaaaah!_ " Yusuke screamed as his bone snapped in half, forcing him to drop Koenma's ring.

" _Urameshi!_ " Kuwabara yelled.

" _Yusuke!_ " Sayomi screamed.

Sensui reached up to catch the ring, until a white sneaker smacked him in his face. He stood still and stared at Yusuke as the shoe fell to the floor.

"Heh heh..." Yusuke stood on one foot with a cocky grin. He held Koenma's ring between the toes of his raised foot. "It won't be that easy, pal."

"I see." Sensui wiped the blood from his lip and asked, "You want to die?"

Yusuke smirked and quirked his brow tauntingly. "Better than givin' up."

" _Shinobu!_ " Koenma yelled, reaching out for the man.

" _Hey! Stay Down!_ " Yusuke yelled, silencing the prince. He smirked and said, "This is _my_ fight. Keep out of it, okay?"

"Yusuke..." Koenma narrowed his eyes at the punk. "What's this about?"

Yusuke's smirk widened to a dangerous grin. "I'm not sure, but I think I'm getting mighty close to understanding something."

"What?" Koenma stared at Yusuke in wonder.

Sensui watched, curious yet bored.

"Sensui... I'll warn you... If you have any doubts... you should kill me now." Yusuke raised his hand and beckoned his predecessor forward. "Come on... I'm looking forward to what's ahead. Something _amazing's_ gonna happen. I suggest you finish me off... before it does..."

 _Does that mean...?_ Sayomi's jaw dropped and her body fell slack as she realized what was about to happen. _He's about to_ awaken?!

"Well? C'mon," Yusuke taunted.

"Urameshi's up to something, and I bet Sensui ain't gonna like it," Kuwabara said ominously.

 _He doesn't know..._ Sayomi realized.

 _Know what?_ Hiei asked telepathically.

Sayomi could only stare at Yusuke. She couldn't comprehend anything else happening around her. _Is it really going to happen already...?_

Hiei looked at her curiously, trying to decipher the meaning behind her mindless nonsense.

"You think so?" Hiei asked.

"Huh?" Kuwabara turned to the swordsman curiously.

Hiei perspired nervously and said, "Sensui hasn't really shown his hand."

"Whattaya mean?" Kuwabara asked through clenched teeth. "Urk..."

"Being human," Hiei began. "You can't see that Sensui's aura is up there with that of a _Class-S Demon._ "

"Hm..." Kuwabara's complexion paled as he observed Hiei's tone and body language,

"He's been very careful with Yusuke up to now..." Kurama said. "Doing minimal damage, a light punch, a broken arm..."

"That's _crazy!_ " Kuwabara exclaimed.

"No, it's reality." Hiei clenched his fist. "I'd assumed he was merely boasting, but he really does have the power to kill us all. Heh..." Hiei smirked wryly. "Class-S Demons are rare, even in the Demon Plane... Yet here's a _human_ who could match one..."

"What...?" Kuwabara blinked in wonder.

"You wouldn't understand, Kuwabara," Sayomi said. "This is _beyond_ you at this point. If Yusuke really means it, then..."

The cavern crumbled down around Yusuke and Sensui. Everyone else remained trapped within the Inverse Man.

"Sorry, that was my fault," Sensui apologized. "I'm restraining myself, but... it's difficult. I don't dare exert myself here. I must say it's frustrating."

"Why bother?" Yusuke asked bluntly. "You want to destroy the world... so go ahead and do it. Show me what you got."

Sensui glared at Yusuke sharply and yelled, " _You fool! You're as blind as the rest!_ "

The mere sound of his raised voice was enough to send Yusuke back.

" _Ack!_ " Yusuke yelped as he crashed into a stone wall.

"Again, sorry," Sensui apologized. "I love the world, its air and sky, its flowers and animals... but I despise its humans."

Unh!" Koenma grunted.

Yusuke spat at the ground and glared up at Sensui. "Glad we had this little chat."

Sensui smiled a genuine smile and his aura flared up. "Stand up. Face the _final stroke._ "

Koenma reached out to Yusuke and shouted, "We still have _time,_ Yusuke! Give me the _pacifier!_ "

"'Fraid I can't do that," Yusuke admitted.

"What...?" Koenma blinked in confusion.

Yusuke looked down at his hand in mocking disappointment. "He managed to take it from me. He's something else."

Sensui smirked as he held the pacifier in his hand.

Koenma narrowed his eyes and concentrated his aura into his hand. "I see. Well then..." He shot out his hand and fired off his aura. " _Evil Seal Ring!_ "

Everyone watched the display in surprise as his aura connected with the holy ring. The ring glowed too bright for the former detective to bare.

"I'll go with you, Shinobu..." Koenma promised. "To the _Demon Plane!_ "

Sensui clenched his fists and focused his aura.

"No... Not possible!" Koenma exclaimed in disbelief.

" _Ahhh..._ " Sensui took in a deep breath. " _Hah!_ " His aura exploded around him and shot straight up through the caverns, leaving a hole too dark to see through.

The rocks and dirt proceeded to rain down around them as Sensui gestured to himself. "You'd have defeated a demon or a regular human. However, you know as well as I that Holy Chi is ultimate Sacred Energy. It may resonate with a spell, but no spell can seal it."

Koenma collapsed to his hands and knees in shame. "So even I can't stop you."

Sensui smirked. "That pretty much sums it up."

Yusuke reached down to tap Koenma's shoulder. "Spells aren't the issue here, y'know."

" _Yusuke!_ " Koenma scolded. " _Don't! Back off!_ "

"Ah, that's right..." Sensui smiled. "The final stroke."

" _Look at Urameshi!_ " Kuwabara exclaimed. "He only shows that kind of _confidence_ when he knows _exactly what he's doing!_ "

Kurama gasped. "Perhaps... But remember what happened with you and Toguro? Yusuke's got the same thing in mind."

Sayomi's eyes widened as she became pale. _When Toguro stabbed him near the heart to force out Yusuke's power... Yusuke plans to do the same for... Oh no..._

"What... But that... He... Urameshi's gonna... do the same thing?" Kuwabara stumbled for words in his confusion. " _Urameshi!_ " He rushed to the window and yelled, " _Don't do it, Urameshi! Koenma! Get yer butt in gear! Stop him! Urameshi!_ "

Ignoring Kuwabara's pleas, Yusuke smirked and said, "Well, let's have it. Deliver that final stroke of yours."

" _Listen to me, Urameshi!_ " Kuwabara shouted desperately. " _I only pulled it off because of you!_ This _isn't_ how it should happen! You _can't_ let him _beat you!_ You can't! Beating you's _my job!_ " Tears flowed from Kuwabara's eyes as he said, "Aw man... Those were the good ol' days... An' they don't mean _nuthin' right now! Urameshi!_ "

"Yusuke..." Sayomi stared down at her charge. As beaten and bloody as the day she first met him. She remembered training with him in Genkai's temple and healing his injuries every day. Then she remembered the day they first had the chance to talk to each other.

They had gone into the woods to gather wood and water. Yusuke sighed and settled down against the base of a tree. "Let's rest for a bit. As soon as we get back, that crazy lady is just gonna make us do more crap."

"I'm okay with taking a break, but we shouldn't take too long either," Sayomi warned.

"Yeah yeah..." Yusuke waved her off carelessly. "So what was your name again?"

"Sayomi."

"Sayomi..." Yusuke stared at her and said, "I'm just gonna call you Sai."

"What? Why?" Sayomi arched her brow curiously.

"Because I can't remember your name, but I can remember Sai. It's shorter too," Yusuke answered.

"How bad is your memory...?" Sayomi asked.

"What's your name again?" Yusuke asked with a smirk.

Sayomi's vision started to blur as she remembered the day he gave her a nickname. _No one besides Raizen ever gave me that kind of feeling of acceptance. Even knowing I was a demon didn't faze him or give him reason to hate me._ Tears slid down her cheeks but she couldn't feel them.

"Hey."

Itsuki turned to Hiei.

"Release us now." Hiei removed his cloak. Bandages were wrapped tightly around his right arm, just barely restraining the Dragon's aura. "If we're gonna die, I'm gonna die _my way._ "

"Hiei..." Kuwabara stared at his friend in wonder.

Kurama summoned his Rose Whip. "Yusuke might be miffed at us for horning in, but he'll have to deal. That's how I see it, anyway."

"Kurama..." Kuwabara's gaze shifted to the red-head.

Sayomi reached for her weapon and covered the blade in shadows. "If you think I'm just gonna stand by and let him die, think again."

"Sayomi..." Kuwabara's eyes widened.

"Let us join Yusuke, Itsuki," Kurama demanded.

"No." Itsuki smirked. "The five of you still won't be able to beat Shinobu, but you might come up with a way to escape."

Kuwabara broke into a cold sweat. "What kinda fiend _are_ you?"

Itsuki hugged his body and said, "One who knows the score, human. Hiei, Kurama, you used to be Class-A demons. Circumstances have changed you both... And if you escape, you'll become even stronger. I can't permit that. You're to die, one by one."

Sayomi's grip tightened around her weapon. _How does he...?_

 _He called our bluff._ Hiei glared at Itsuki despite his nervous sweat. "You're one perfect fool..."

Itsuki's eyes widened when he felt a shift in aura.

Kuwabara was glaring down at Yusuke and Sensui. In his hand was a new sword that shined gold. Unlike his old sword, his new one looked sharp and refined. "Like it or not, _I'm outta here!_ "

 _Is that his dimension sword?!_ Sayomi stared in awe.

" _Shinobu!_ " Itsuki yelled urgently. " _Look out! I can't stop them!_ "

Just as Kuwabara slashed down with his sword, Sensui dashed forward. The Inverse Man squealed as the cut opened across its face, letting Sayomi and the boys fall down to the lake.

As she fell, Sayomi watched Sensui get closer to Yusuke. She instinctively reached out to him. Her eyes focused on his face, staring smugly at Sensui. She blinked and saw his stupid grin. Then her feet splashed in the water. Yusuke was flying through the air with blood spilling from his chest. He bounced once and landed on his back unconscious.

Sensui stared down at the boy and said, "He has just passed away." He looked up at them. "Don't worry, young lady and gentlemen... You'll be joining him shortly."


	47. Chapter 47

Sayomi couldn't tear her eyes away from Yusuke's body. Blood leaked from the fresh wound on his chest. His complexion had already started to drain of color. _Yusuke...?_

"No... It can't be..." Kuwabara cautiously approached Yusuke. Then he jumped and pointed down at the detective with a cheesy grin. "Ha... Ha ha! You can't fool me! You're playin' possum, an' tryin' not to laugh! C'mon, get up or I'll hold your mouth and nose closed!"

Sayomi's grip tightened on her weapon as her body started to quiver.

"Awright! No play-acting can cover up your _heartbeat_!" Kuwabara kneeled down to place his ear against Yusuke's chest. "I'll just..."

His expression froze. Then his eyes widened as the truth sunk in. He stared down at his late best friend, his own face pale with disbelief. He slowly got back to his feet and glared hatefully at Sensui.

The former detective sat on top of the television as it emitted white noise. "The movie's over, but I forgot to listen to the music over the credits. It's a very beautiful requiem... and would've been perfect for him." Just behind him, above the lake, the demons started to push their way through the portal. "Ah well... Let's play one last scene. The first door has been opened. _You_ will guide me further in."

" _Me?"_ Kuwabara gritted his teeth. "Fat chance!"

As Hiei unwrapped his bandages and Kurama transformed into the Fox Demon, Sayomi pulled her hood over her head and shrouded herself in shadow. Her expression revealed nothing as she charged towards Yusuke's murderer. Hiei and Kurama ran beside her, their own auras flaring around them.

"Hm..." Sensui waited patiently, not bothering to dodge.

Kuwabara stared at his friends in awe, then looked down at Yusuke. With a resolved smirk, he charged after the furious demons.

" _Black Dragon Unholy Fire!"_ The black dragon flew out of Hiei's arm, incinerating the weak demons. " _Let's see what you do with that!"_

The dragon changed course and flew into Sensui. However, he only smirked as his aura protected him from the beast's flaming maw. "Nice bit of summoning."

Hiei followed after him with the others close behind.

" _Huh?!"_ Kuwabara looked around in confusion. Inside the tunnel, they were surrounded by darkness with rings of thin light passing by at regular intervals.

"We're in the hyper-space between worlds," Kurama explained.

"There's the force field!" Kuwabara exclaimed. There was a long net of energy that expanded across the grid-like plane before them. "And Sensui's in front of..." Kuwabara gasped when they stopped just before the barrier. "He's not in _front_ of it... _He's beyond it!"_

Sensui smirked down at them and said, "I possess Holy Chi, and Holy Chi is not evil. The Underworld Force Field is designed to block evil, not what is holy. My Holy Chi extinguished your Black Dragon. As for evil, the force field only blocks power above that of Class-A demons. Urameshi's death awakened your former powers. Ironically, those powers now keep you from crossing the threshold."

Sayomi narrowed her eyes dangerously. She prepared to attack until she saw movement in her peripheral.

" _Kurama!"_ Kuwabara called out worriedly.

The fox demon calmly approached the barrier net and extended his hand. Just as he touched it, there was a large blast of energy. Kurama pulled back his singed fingers and licked them. "Hmm..."

"The girl might have a chance of getting through, though not for long. Even now her aura is gradually increasing in power." Sensui shifted his attention elsewhere. "Kuwabara, your Dimensional Sword is now the only thing that can cut through it. If you need a day to think about it, that's fine. I can wait."

"Shut up!" Kuwabara growled. He summoned the golden sword and jumped into the air. " _Raah!"_ As he landed, he brought his sword down to slash through the barrier. "I'm not dyin' for _nothin',_ Jerkface! I'm takin' one of your _arms_ as a _souvenir!"_

Sensui smirked and rode through the tunnel with his aura. Kuwabara ran after him with the others close behind.

Before long, they found themselves falling in the sky of the Demon Plane. Forests and plateaus spread across the land and beyond the horizon. The blood-red sky was littered with dark storm clouds and the occasional strikes of lightning. The strong winds carried the stench of blood and decay that Sayomi ignored. She only focused on Sensui.

"So this is the Demon Plane..." Sensui looked down at the land and his eyes shone in wonder. "Magnificent."

"Hey!" Kuwabara yelled. "In case you hadn't _noticed, it's a long drop from here!"_

"So it is. Where are we?" Kurama asked.

"It's the Fool's Forest," Hiei answered. "We're in luck, the demons here aren't so tough."

Kurama reached for a seed and poured his aura into it. Long vines wrapped around his torso as large leaves spread open behind his back like wings. "Grab on."

The vines tangled around Hiei's and Kuwabara's arms and they instantly held on tight. Ignoring everything around her, Sayomi continued to fall until Hiei reached out and grabbed her hand. He grunted and pulled her up to hold her more securely against his side. He turned to yell at her. "What are you—?!"

"He's dead..." Sayomi whispered apathetically. Her eyes were completely black as she stared down at Sensui's falling figure. Despite her blank expression, tears flowed freely from her eyes.

Hiei stared at her silently, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to her grief. He tightened his hold around her waist.

"Hah! Check out _Sensui!"_ Kuwabara exclaimed. "He'll go _splat_ like a _ripe tomato!"_

" _Heh..."_ Sensui smirked. He continued to fall without a care until he disappeared into the forest below. Then, moments later, a golden light shone above the trees.

" _No fair!"_ Kuwabara yelled.

As Sensui ascended with his arms spread wide, he said, "The idea of angels may have arisen from seeing people wield Holy Chi. It harmonizes with nature, though harmony here is... tricky."

Kuwabara ground his teeth together. "Doesn't _anything_ throw him?!"

"There's no avoiding this fight, I'm afraid," Kurama said.

"I agree. Let's settle it," Hiei confirmed.

Sayomi said nothing as she shrouded her weapon with her aura.

"Not here, over this beautiful forest." Sensui pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "Why don't we take it over there?"

"Chopping Block Plateau." Hiei recognized the large rock formation. "That's a good choice, I admit."

As soon as they were above the plateau, Kurama released the large leaves and dropped down. The others let go of the vines and followed. As soon as they touched down, they dashed.

Sensui stood by calmly. "Let me just say that to me, there's no credit in fighting a losing battle. However, you also mean to honor the departed, and that deserves respect." His aura flared around him, stopping the fighters in their tracks.

" _Unh!"_ Kuwabara grunted and charged. "That's _old stuff_ now, pal! _Try again!"_

Sensui glared and exuded more power, knocking Kuwabara off his feet.

" _Yow!"_ Kuwabara yelled in pain.

Hiei and Kurama watched in awe as the bright light dimmed. Sayomi stared, unfazed by Sensui's display.

" _Steel Chi Cloth!"_ Once the bright glow of his aura diminished, Sensui stood in golden armor. The armor covered his head, torso, and knees. White cloth covered his arms and legs. "Heightened chi turned into armor and weapons. _You're_ familiar with that technique, Kurama."

"Feh! Meaning yours is better, I suppose?" Kurama smirked.

Sensui felt a spike in aura and turned around to see Hiei charging his right arm. Hiei ground his teeth as the Black Dragon came to life. " _Hrrn!"_

" _Another Black Dragon?!"_ Kuwabara gasped.

Kurama and Sayomi watched silently as the dragon shot out of Hiei's arm and immediately crashed down over him.

Hiei braced himself as he absorbed the dragon into his body. " _Kaaah!"_ He stood tall, engulfed in black flames. " _Hyah!"_ He leapt forward and pummeled Sensui with a barrage of rapid punches.

Sensui blocked each punch with ease, then kicked Hiei hard in the stomach.

" _Unh!"_ Hiei's eyes widened as the pain stunned him. Sensui quickly followed through with a strong punch to the face. The force sent Hiei skidding back across the ground.

" _Demon Tree Spirit Fist!"_ Kurama yelled, jumping up behind Sensui with vines wrapping around his arm.

" _Dimensional Sword!"_ Kuwabara summoned the golden sword.

Sayomi released the chain and spun the sickle as she ran. Shadows trailed behind the blade with every swing.

" _Ahh..."_ Sensui punched the air towards Kurama and Sayomi, catching them with a large twister of dirt and aura. " _Tornado Fist!"_

The winds sliced through Kurama and Sayomi in multiple places. The two demons bled freely from the cuts all over their bodies.

" _Kurama! Sayomi!"_ Kuwabara called out in worry.

Hiei watched the display with wide eyes. Then he glared and rushed Sensui with his sword. " _You scum!"_ He quickly engulfed his sword in dark flames. " _Blazing Sword of the Overlord!"_ He swung his sword down, but it stopped as soon as it made contact with Sensui's armor. Hiei's eyes widened in shock. "What the...?"

Sensui smirked and kicked Hiei out of the way. The swordsman landed on his side with a hard thump. Despite his wounds, he struggled back up to a kneel, clutching his stomach in pain.

"Gluh..." Kurama shook as he got to his feet, despite his wounds.

Kuwabara clenched his teeth nervously as he stared at Sensui. "What's he _made_ of...?"

"At my level of power, I hit too hard, too fast. You won't die easy, I'm afraid." Sensui smiled.

Sayomi got back to her feet as shadows began to heal her wounds. She spun her sickle again and darkness began to spill out from her cloak. Her black eyes expressed no emotion as she vanished from Sensui's view.

Sensui widened his eyes and began to scan his surroundings. His eyes looked over Kurama, Kuwabara, and Hiei and continued searching. At the last second, he jumped up from the ground.

As his shadow grew smaller, Sayomi used it to solidify below him. She swung her sickle in a large figure eight and released two black crescents of dark aura. Meanwhile, dark chains coiled around him, binding his arms to his sides.

Sensui hovered in the air and let his aura shine bright to extinguish the shadows. He felt a sudden pull on his arm and saw a chain wrapped securely to the limb.

Sayomi pulled and jumped up to attack with her sickle.

Sensui used his trapped arm to swing the chain up and tangle the blade with the links. He quickly followed with a solid kick to her back.

"Sayomi!" Kuwabara yelled.

Before she could slam into the ground, Hiei rushed in and caught her. When he landed, he looked down to check on her. She was surrounded by her aura but that wasn't what caught his attention.

As Kuwabara ran towards Sensui, he swung his sword down. Sensui dodged and kicked him in the stomach.

Hiei stared down at Sayomi's arms. Through her aura, he could see the marks that were slowly growing. "This is bad."

Ignoring his comment, Sayomi stood up on her own. With a wave of her cloak, she disappeared from Hiei's view. He clicked his tongue and turned back to Sensui.

Sensui stared down at them. "It's useless, you know. You're not really fighting me. You're fighting your own inevitable end."

"Oh yeah?" Kuwabara grumbled and sat up. He spit out the blood in his mouth and said, "We don't care about what you think, you psycho. We always fight our hardest and come out on top. You're just another bad guy."

"That's a matter of perspective, Kuwabara." Sensui smirked. "From where I'm standing, you all fight for a false justice. As good as your intentions may be, the road to Hell is paved with them."

"Shut up!" Kuwabara yelled.

Kurama glanced over at Hiei. "Where is Sayomi?"

"Hn." Hiei shrugged. "I'm sure she's around. The fool doesn't seem to be in her right mind at the moment."

"What do you mean?" Kuwabara asked.

"She's not fully aware of what she's doing. Her body is acting while her mind is closed off," Kurama explained. "It's a dangerous way to fight."

"Kurama..." The fox turned to Hiei. Without taking his eyes off Sensui, Hiei said, "She's using her aura to attack. If we don't finish this quickly..."

"Right." Kurama agreed. "Things could only get worse."

"Isn't that why she's not supposed to be fighting in the _first place?"_ Kuwabara asked.

"If you recall, Kuwabara, she's been protective of Yusuke from the moment we met her," Kurama said. "His death has likely affected her just as much as the rest of us, if not more so."

"She's focused only on killing Sensui," Hiei said. "At this point, she doesn't care if she fades."

"But..." Kuwabara stared at Hiei with wide eyes. Then his attention snapped back to Sensui when he saw a dark shadow in his peripheral. "Ah! Whoah!"

Sayomi manifested from the folds of her cloak behind Sensui. She punched and kicked, retreating to the shadows after every hit. Every time she manifested, she was in Sensui's blind spot.

Sensui took each hit, unable to fight back. Every time he turned to strike, she was gone again in a cloud of darkness. His eyes narrowed as he began to tire of her routine.

As she appeared behind him to kick him in the back, Sensui stepped to the side and trapped her leg with his arm. Holding onto her leg, he landed a spinning back kick and let her go crashing into the dirt.

She got back to her feet with shadows rising out of her wounds. As her empty eyes stared at Sensui, her mind was in turmoil.

Sayomi sat in the Void, hugging her knees close to her chest. She tucked her head down to keep from seeing the emptiness that surrounded her. All she could hear was the sound of her own voice. "He's dead... He's dead because of me..."

Silence answered.

"I was too weak... I was scared... I _am_ scared..." She hugged her knees tighter and began to shake. "It's so cold... What do I do...? I was supposed to... keep him safe..."

Meanwhile, Hiei was dashing around Sensui. Kurama ran in the opposite direction with the Deadly Vetch wrapped around his arm. Kuwabara clutched his sword, waiting for the right moment to strike. Sayomi vanished into her cloak.

Just as Hiei and Kurama jumped at Sensui from opposite sides, Kuwabara charged him head on. Sayomi appeared behind his back with her sickle raised.

Sensui smirked and said, "You'll need to be more creative than that, I'm afraid." He jumped into the air and watched as they all crashed into each other.

Hiei, Kurama, and Kuwabara were cut and bruised all over. Their clothes were torn and they were out of breath. The most they could do was sit up or lay down from exhaustion.

Sayomi struggled to her knees. Her body trembled from the lack of energy, though her tattered cloak continued to emit dark aura. Her tears turned to blood as she pushed herself to keep fighting.

In her mind, Sayomi wrapped herself tight with her cloak. Tears streamed down her face as Yusuke's confident grin haunted her. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... Yusuke... Old man..." She bit her lip as her chest tightened. "...Hiei..."

 _...Mi..._

Sayomi froze as a quiet sound reached her ears. She waited for what felt like hours before she whispered, "Who's... there?"

There was another brief moment of silence before the sound reached her again.

 _...Sayomi...!_

When Sayomi lifted her head, she slowly blinked. There was a shadow figure standing in front of her, trying to reach out to her. She stared at the shadow in a daze. "Hello?"

 _Sayomi...! Hear... me..._

Sayomi's eyebrow arched curiously. "What was that? I can barely..."

 _Sayomi! Are you there?_

Sayomi's eyes widened as the voice started to come through more clearly. "I'm here..."

 _Sayomi... Need you... back!_

Sayomi's eyebrows creased and her hold around her legs began to loosen. She tilted her head as she tried to focus on the voice. "What...?"

 _Need you to come back!_

"Back? Back where? Ah!" She clutched her head and squeezed her eyes shut as images of Yusuke's body flashed through her memory. She clenched her teeth in pain and groaned. "No..." Tears started to slide down her cheeks again as her shoulders shook with her sobs. "I can't... I can't do this..."

 _Idiot..._

"Huh?" She looked up at the shadow and watched as it started to take on a more definite shape.

"Do you really think you have a choice in the matter?"

Sayomi's eyes widened as Hiei stood in front of her with an angry scowl. He was covered in wounds and dirt with his hair in disarray. She hesitantly reached out to him with a shaky hand. "Hiei...?"

"Hn. So I guess I finally got through." Hiei smirked. He stepped closer and reached out to rest his hand on her head.

The moment she felt the warmth of his hand, she threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She cried into his stomach without holding back. Hiei let her get it out of her system quickly so he could have her full attention.

Once her crying subsided to sniffles, she looked up at Hiei in wonder. "Are you really here?"

"Yes, but we don't have time to waste." Hiei helped her get to her feet and turned away as she dried her eyes. "You need to regain control of yourself, or you'll fade soon."

Sayomi's gaze fell to the floor. "I don't care. I failed my mission. If I go back now, I'll be punished..."

"By the one you owe this favor?" Hiei asked, turning back to look at her.

When Sayomi met his gaze, he almost flinched at the sight of defeat in her eyes. "No..."

He narrowed his own eyes and said, "So you're going to quit."

"What else can I do?" Sayomi asked hopelessly.

"You fight back," Hiei snapped. "You fight until your last breath because it's better than living like a coward. Yusuke chose to die fighting."

Sayomi's eyes widened as she listened to Hiei's words.

Realizing he was getting through to her, he pulled her close and growled low in her ear. "If you give up now, I will take it as a personal insult to my training and kill you myself. But if you choose to fight, know I'll have your back."

"But I let him die... I just watched Yusuke die..." Sayomi whispered, on the verge of crying again.

Hiei pulled away to look her in the eye. When she didn't try to look away, he said, "There is no one who does not carry scars on their heart. If there were someone in the world like that, they would be a shallow soul."

Sayomi stared at him in wonder as his words echoed through the darkness.

"If you don't come back now, you'll fade away and not even that fool, Koenma, will be able to do anything about it," Hiei warned.

Sayomi looked down at her arms and realized the markings had spread over the rest of her body. Each line slowly grew thicker, threatening to swallow her up completely. She began to tremble until she felt Hiei's firm grip on her wrists. Her eyes automatically found his.

"You're in control. Just focus on me," Hiei instructed.

Sayomi swallowed and slowly nodded.

"Now just take deep breaths..."

Sayomi slowly inhaled for four beats. She held it another four beats before slowly exhaling. She repeated the cycle a couple more times and relaxed into a relieved smile. "Thanks, Hiei... I needed that."

Hiei smirked and said, "I know. Now hurry up. We're wasting time."

As Hiei faded out of her mind, Sayomi heaved a big sigh. "If I have to choose between fading into the Void in fear or fighting until I died...? Heh..." She smirked. "I might as well die doing what I love with him and the others. Hopefully, I can apologize to Yusuke in the Underworld."


	48. Chapter 48

When Sayomi opened her eyes, she immediately shut them again. Daylight in the Demon Plane was blinding compared to the Void. After letting her eyes adjust, she looked around and clenched her fists angrily.

Hiei was to her left. He was on his knees, glaring up at Sensui. He looked as beaten and tired as he did in her mind. Beside him, Kurama was laying on his side, propped up on a bruised arm. Blood trailed from his mouth, but his eyes didn't stray from Sensui. Next to him, Kawabara was splayed out on his back. He struggled to keep one eye glaring at the rogue detective.

Surrounded by smoking craters, Sensui looked down at them without a single scratch or bruise on his person. "This reminds me of an RPG video game, where I max out my character before challenging the last boss. He can't hurt me, but as he has 10,000 HP and I can only manage to shave off 100 HP at a time, it takes a while to whittle that down and take him out. After that... I feel both a strange pleasure and an emptiness. It's the way I feel now. I'm sorry I made you suffer."

Hiei smirked and sat down with an arm resting over a raised knee. "Never mind that. You were just lucky."

"And stronger than we are at this moment. But that's all it takes to win." Kurama smirked, dragging himself to sit up.

"If Yusuke were still here, we might have managed a better challenge. That idiot..." Sayomi smirked bitterly. "Then maybe you would've realized who you were really up against."

Sensui listened patiently until they finished. Then he lifted his hand and began to focus his aura. "I'll finish it, then." Before he could attack, he snapped his attention to the distant light that was the tunnel to the Human World.

Sayomi followed his gaze, then froze. Her eyes widened and her jaw hung open in disbelief. _I recognize this aura, but... it's different..._

Hiei and Kurama stared in awe as a blue bird steadily flew closer towards them. Kuwabara sat up straight, forgetting his wounds and fatigue. Sayomi could feel a smile stretch across her face as tears started building in her eyes.

As the bird landed in front of them, a living ghost hopped down with Koenma.

"Is it really...?" Sayomi couldn't speak any louder than a whisper.

"Yu...suke?" Hiei asked, unable to believe his own eyes.

"I don't..." Kurama couldn't, either.

Kuwabara could only stare with wide eyes, stunned to silence.

"Sorry I'm _late,_ guys! But it looks like I'm _just in time!"_ Yusuke walked up to his beaten friends and stared at them with his hands on his hips. "Did you really think I'd leave you poor saps to finish what I started?"

"But..." Kuwabara reeled. "Your _heart!_ It _stopped!_ And that _aura_ of yours... It's _demonic!"_

"Yeah, it is," Yusuke confirmed. He tapped his chest and blinked. "And my heart did stop. In fact, it still is stopped. Weird, huh?"

"Heh..."

"Heh heh..."

"Pfft..."

Yusuke and Kuwabara blinked as Kurama, Hiei, and Sayomi burst into laughter.

"Heh heh... Ha ha!"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"Ah ha ha ha!"

"Heh heh..." Yusuke grinned.

Kuwabara stared at them like they had all lost their minds.

Calming down to a quiet chuckle, Kurama said, "Your 'core' now beats, instead of your heart. A demon heart."

"So there's demon in you." Hiei smirked. "Guess I'll never figure you out."

"I'm pretty puzzled about it myself, too," Yusuke confessed. "I don't feel any different..."

"You'll get used to it." Sayomi smirked. "Gotta say, it's about time."

"Wait!" Yusuke turned to Sayomi and blinked. "You _knew_ this would happen?!"

Sayomi shrugged. "I didn't know that you apparently had to _die,_ but... I suspected it. Really, I wasn't 100% sure you were the one I was looking for, but you seemed like the best bet."

"We might have to talk later," Yusuke said.

"I agree."

Sayomi froze when she heard Koenma speak up behind them. When she turned to look, he was staring at her. _He doesn't look angry... but he doesn't look happy either..._

"Hey, Sensui!" Yusuke turned to his predecessor. "Sorry to keep you _waiting!_ Shall we _pick up_ where we left off?!"

"Hold on there, po'dner. I'd like to take him on first," Hiei said. His aura flared around him as he got to his feet.

"Same here," Kurama agreed. Despite his wounds, the Fox Demon stood up, ready for another round.

"Me too!" Sayomi jumped to her feet eagerly. "Let me fight him!"

"Geez, what went on while I was dead?" Yusuke asked. "You all seem sharper, _stronger...!"_

"Heh... Heh heh..." Kuwabara jumped to his feet and grinned. "Wait, _I'll_ go first! I can beat him! I _know_ I can!"

"You're delusional," Hiei muttered dryly.

" _Stop saying that, you miserable runt!"_ Kuwabara yelled.

"Just stating a _fact,_ moron," Hiei said.

" _Why don't you come say that to my face, shrimp!"_

Hiei looked straight at Kuwabara and said, "Moron!"

Kuwabara growled and swung a punch at Hiei. Hiei simply took a quick step to the side, letting Kuwabara fall flat on his face. Sayomi and Yusuke laughed while Kurama smiled and chuckled. Meanwhile, Koenma stared solemnly at Sensui. Sensui only glared as he observed his old boss' new team.

Once his laughter was out of his system, Yusuke fixed his own glare on Sensui. Sayomi and the boys quickly followed his example. Sensui answered by emitting his aura.

As if in response, Yusuke's new demonic aura began to swirl around him. "I know how you guys feel, but I really must ask you to let me..." He turned to smirk at his friends with a glint in his eye. "Go first."

Kuwabara swallowed a nervous lump in his throat as he saw Yusuke's scary face. Hiei aimed his finger at Yusuke and said, "Very well. But rest assured, I'll catch up soon... to you _and_ him."

"Just don't die again, please," Sayomi added in. "I think the one time is all I can handle for one fight."

Yusuke smirked and turned to approach Sensui. Sensui, in turn, walked towards Yusuke. They circled each other and took in a deep breath. Then, they both leapt into the sky.

They met in midair, throwing a barrage of punches that clashed with the other's punch. The mere force of their attacks was enough to make a large sphere of aura around them.

Sayomi and the others had to brace themselves against the strong gale that blew around them. Rocks tore out of the ground and flew through the air as their power made a large crater.

When Sensui punched Yusuke in the face, the young detective landed on a large boulder in a crouch. Sensui closed in and punched down, smashing the large rock into pebbles. Yusuke jumped out of the way and fired off a large bullet of aura.

Sayomi and the boys watched the blast with stunned faces. _That's huge!_

Then the blast blew just past Sensui, who looked down at his armor with wide eyes.

 _He just barely grazed him?! With a blast that big?!_ Sayomi couldn't believe her eyes.

"Huh?!" Yusuke blinked. "I _missed?_ No way!" He looked down at his trigger finger in confusion. "I don't get it..."

"I'm not sure I do, either," Kurama confessed.

"His senses haven't yet caught up to his new level of power. Knowing him, though, he'll adjust pretty quickly," Hiei concluded.

"He's gonna have to. Otherwise he won't stand a chance," Sayomi said.

" _Don't waste your shots, Urameshi!"_ Kuwabara warned. "You _fired one off_ before you went in the cave, y'know!"

"Ah..." Yusuke blinked. "That's right. And I fired a Shotgun, too. Hmm..." He looked down at his hand and saw one glowing fingertip. "One more. Well..." He smirked. "I'll save it for the right moment."

" _Hrrrn!"_ Sensui charged his aura, catching Yusuke's attention. The armor dissolved from his body and his power only continued to grow.

"He shed his armor!" Kuwabara reeled. "But his aura... it _increased!"_

"He's switching to _attack mode!"_ Koenma realized.

"Are you saying he wasn't _already_ in attack mode?" Sayomi asked. "You gotta be kidding me..."

Yusuke turned back to them and said, "Pu, round everyone up and clear the deck. This could get a bit messy."

As Sensui's armor reassembled itself around his body, Sayomi and the others latched onto the large bird. Kuwabara and Koenma managed to climb up to the beast's back while Sayomi and Hiei hung from each of his legs. Kurama used a seed to open those large leaf-like wings from before. As soon as they lifted off the ground, Sensui moved.

" _Shah!"_ Sensui dashed and punched Yusuke in the face before he could block. Yusuke was sent skidding back across the floor and Sensui charged to punch the boy up into the air. " _Hah!"_

The attack shattered a large portion of the plateau into large boulders that fell to the forest below. Sayomi felt her mouth hang open as she stared at the scene. _So this is what it's like for two S Class power levels to clash..._

Yusuke jumped up and used the falling rocks to spring towards Sensui. He assaulted Sensui with another flurry of punches. Sensui blocked each one until he used an opening to punch Yusuke in the face. He used the moment to turn the tables and attack Yusuke with his own punches.

"Ack!" Yusuke was forced to block until Sensui punched him through more falling rocks. Yusuke used his aura and landed on another rock. He smirked up at Sensui and licked his lip.

As Hiei pulled Sayomi up to Pu's back, she saw the plateau had become two pillars surrounded by a large pile of sharp rocks.

" _Holy cow!"_ Kuwabara gasped. "In just a few seconds, they blew that _huge rock away!"_

"This is insane... If they had fought like this in the Human World, there wouldn't be anything left!" Sayomi tried to imagine the destruction that would ensue from their fight. _Maybe it's a good thing he didn't become a demon in the Human World._

From his pillar, Yusuke smiled and said, "Hey, let's move to another arena. Someplace with more room to maneuver."

Sensui smirked. "I'd like that."

Yusuke pointed off to the distance. "You see that high pillar over there? It's all rocks and sand beyond that."

"You've been there before?" Sensui asked.

Yusuke smirked. "I think my ancestor has. _Let's go!"_

Sayomi gasped when she saw them take off. _They're so fast!_

"Where'd they go?!" Kuwabara asked frantically.

" _Thataway!"_ Koenma pointed out. They were only two small specks in the distance.

As they closed in on the pillar, Yusuke convulsed as he felt a strange sensation in his body. "Huh?" He looked down at his chest curiously. "Hmph! Fine..."

As soon as they reached the pillar, they crashed through it and immediately started fighting.

"Wow!" Kuwabara watched in shock. "They didn't wait to get _started!"_

Yusuke and Sensui sprang from the falling pillar. Yusuke bounced across the sands while Sensui flew in the sky. They met with a clash of powered punches until they ended up in a stalemate. Their hands clasped together, both trying to overpower the other.

" _Gnrr!"_

" _Hrrn!"_

Their power flared around them as dust storms. Twisters formed around them while sand erupted from beneath their feet in a large ring.

" _An aura cyclone!"_ Kurama gasped.

"Stay back, Pu," Koenma instructed. "Let's not become collateral damage."

Sensui punched Yusuke in the face, sending him bouncing across the desert.

As the storms died down and the sands settled, Sensui turned and said, "I know you're behind me. Don't being sneaky if you can't hide your aura."

"Heh..." Yusuke popped out from under the sand and grinned sheepishly. "Guess you're right. It's like riding a bucking bronco... I can't rein it in yet." He smirked. "But I'm getting the hang of it."

Sensui returned his smirk.

"Hey, what's that smile about?" Yusuke asked. "Still got something up your sleeve, eh?"

"Not exactly." Sensui's expression darkened. "Hardly worth your notice."

"Tell me," Yusuke demanded.

"No, not yet."

" _Feh!"_ Yusuke pointed an accusing finger at Sensui. "You're trying to _bluff me!"_

"Heh heh... Perhaps," Sensui allowed.

"Whaddaya think, Hiei...?" Kuwabara slid a worried glance at the demon. He paled when he saw him sleeping in Sayomi's arms. "Uh..."

"Shut up," Sayomi growled defensively. "He wore himself out summoning the Black Dragon twice!"

Kurama watched the battle below and said, "Yusuke may not yet have full use of his powers, so Sensui may still have an edge..."

"Okay, whatever. Ready for round two?" Yusuke challenged. " _Rrrgh..."_

Sensui only smirked at the young boy.

Then Yusuke convulsed.

Sensui scowled in confusion.

Yusuke glanced down at his body. "Huh? What now?" He hunched over as he tried to speak. "I... I'm..."

Sensui watched, curious about what was happening.

"Yusuke...?" Sayomi watched in worry. _What's happening now?_

Then Yusuke stood straight up as his aura erupted from his body in massive waves. Strange tattoos started appearing on his body and his hair quickly grew down to his knees. The transformation ignited more cyclones and sand storms.

Sayomi's eyes widened as she realized what was happening. _This is what he was talking about...!_

Sayomi remembered her last meeting with the Old Man.

" _Yes, my lord._ _May I inquire what it is I should be looking for in your heir? What traits he might possess that might single him out from all the others?"_

" _Well, I don't know." She could hear the amusement in his tone. He was doing this on purpose. "It's been hundreds of years by now. I suppose a good start would be to keep an eye open for anyone with unusual fighting prowess. In fact, I'd imagine he might even enjoy a good fight." His tone became hopeful and expectant. He was looking forward to the meeting._

 _Sayomi nodded and asked, "Is there anything else I need to know? Will there be anyone to act as an escort during my mission or am I going alone?"_

" _This will be a solo mission. Anyone I send with you would probably draw too much attention in these more modern times." The ruler leaned back into his throne, relaxing now that the important topic had passed._

" _How will I know when he's ready?" Sayomi persisted. She might as well try to get as much information as she could before she left._

" _You'll know." He rested his chin on the back of his right hand, his arm propped on the armrest of the throne. "When he's ready, he will bear the markings of his ancestors and his power will be unmistakable."_

Sayomi snapped back to attention when she heard Kuwabara yell, _"What the Blazes is going on?! Is that... Urameshi?!"_

When Yusuke emerged from the storm, his whole demeanor seemed changed. His aura was completely demonic and he focused only on Sensui.

Sensui watched in awe as he realized what he was fighting. "Brilliant."

" _Grarr!"_ Yusuke charged and punched Sensui in the face. He immediately chased after Sensui's body and smashed him down into the ground.

" _Guh!"_ Sensui coughed up blood and was kicked up into the air.

Yusuke sprang after him and grabbed him by the shoulder. He punched Sensui in the stomach several times, giving him no chance to fight back. The intensity of the attack produced a large dome of demonic aura.

"Toast my toenails!" Kuwabara stared down at the fight with clenched teeth. "Is that... Is that really Urameshi...?"

"I can't say what triggered it, but it seems he's awakened... completely." Kurama stared down, ignoring the blood running down his head. "I never realized he had so much untapped power. His ancestor must've been a Battle God. Sensui's only human. He's no match for it."

Sayomi bit her lip as she silently watched the battle. _You're not far off from the truth, Kurama. I just wish it hadn't happened so soon..._

As the dust cleared, Yusuke was holding Sensui off his feet by the throat. He squeezed, cutting off Sensui's air. Then he smirked and said, "And now... the _big finish!"_

Yusuke flung Sensui up through the air and took aim. His sinister smirk flickered to a surprised stare as he fired off his last bullet. " _Dodge it, Sensui! Dodge it!"_

" _What?!"_ Sayomi gasped at Yusuke's desperate cry.

As Yusuke yelled, Sensui turned to smile at him. Then the blast hit him directly, shattering his armor and sending him crashing through the forest in the distance.

" _Sensui!"_ Yusuke chased after him, using his demonic aura to increase his speed. " _You idiot!"_

"Why's he so worked up?" Kuwabara asked. "He _won!_ That _Uber Reigun Blast_ hit Sensui dead center!"

"He's back to normal again, but... why did he change like that?" Sayomi tried to figure out Yusuke's flipped personality. _He looked like he was enjoying the fight until the end, then he switched off to not wanting to win...?_

"Get going, Pu! _Hurry!"_ Koenma urged the beast forward.

" _What's going on?!"_ Kuwabara asked.

Pu flew after Yusuke, following a path of destruction. Sayomi swallowed a large lump in her throat as she stared down. "Yusuke... managed to do this? The Old man was right. It is unmistakable..."

"Wow, that _gash..."_ Kuwabara was just as impressed. "It goes all the way to the horizon! How could anyone have _survived_ that?"

Koenma narrowed his eyes as he scanned for the two fighters. " _There!"_ He guided Pu to the end of the long path where Yusuke kneeled over Sensui, clenching his torn armor to shake him awake. As they neared the ground, Kuwabara jumped off Pu's back to run up to them.

" _Sensui, wake up!"_ Yusuke yelled as loud as he could. " _Open your eyes! C'mon! This isn't how it's supposed to go!"_

"What're you _talking about,_ Urameshi?" Kuwabara asked. "Don't you see? _You've won! Pluh!"_

Yusuke punched Kuwabara into the air. " _That wasn't me!_ I mean it was, but it _wasn't!_ I wasn't _there_ when I fired that blast! I only saw it fly!"

"Yusuke?" Sayomi laid Hiei on Pu's back, then jumped off to run up to him.

"Koff..."

" _Sensui!"_ Yusuke looked down at the former detective as Koenma and the others rushed forward. "Kurama, what about your _herbs?!_ Don't you have any that'll _heal him?!"_

"His injuries are too... fatal. I can only help ease his pain," Kurama said regretfully.

"What about _you,_ Sai?! Can't _you_ patch him up?!" Yusuke turned to her with a glare.

Sayomi heaved a deep sigh and said, "Sorry, Yusuke. I used a lot of aura just fighting him. I can't even patch _myself_ up at this point." She stared down at her clenched fists. Her markings were just as they were in the Void. "If I try anything now, I might not last."

"There's no need."

Everyone jumped at the sudden familiar voice. Sayomi looked around until she saw hole opening in front of them to reveal a familiar demon.

" _Itsuki?!"_ Yusuke gasped.

Itsuki looked at them with one eye. A long scar dragged down across his other eye, where Kuwabara's sword cut through his creature. He looked tired and weak. "His time has come."

"Whaddaya mean?" Yusuke asked. " _Stay outta this!_ This doesn't count! Blast it, _he owes me a rematch!"_

"He only had two weeks left, anyway," Itsuki said.

"What...?" Yusuke stared at him dumbfounded and got to his feet. "Two weeks? To live?"

"Yes," Itsuki said. "He suffers from Aggressive Malignant Tumors. Dr. Kamiya diagnosed him. A normal human would've died of the condition long ago."

Yusuke kneeled down to ask Sensui. "Is this true?"

Sensui opened his eyes. It was the most he could do. "Yes, but... No excuse. Your power was... superior."

" _No!"_ Yusuke shouted. "That wasn't _my_ power! I was out! _I wasn't here!"_

"Your subconscious was here," Sensui explained. "And it could control that power quite well. It was you... no other... who unleashed it."

"That's not good enough!" Yusuke argued. "You know that! You still have _two weeks!_ You can rally! Take _painkillers_ if you have to!"

" _Yeesh!"_ Kuwabara cringed.

"Can't you do something, Koenma?" Yusuke turned to the young prince. "You're so _all-powerful,_ ain'tcha?!"

Koenma looked down at Sensui and said, "Perhaps if I still had the aura stored in the Seal Ring, but I don't. Shinobu saw to that, I'm afraid." He turned to Yusuke. "Even so, I'm not sure it would be enough, or in time."

Yusuke blinked at Koenma, confused.

"You... saved Amanuma, then." Everyone looked back down at Sensui. "Heh... Just as I'd planned. Your Seal Ring... I had to deal with that, get you... to waste your aura... before you used the ring..."

"But why?" Koenma asked. "Why did you want the portal?"

Sensui took in a deep breath as he stared up at the sky. "I wanted... to reach the Demon Plane... that's all. When I was a child, I wondered about many things. 'Why are there creatures only I can see? Why do they hate me? Why are they always trying to kill me?' I learned to fight them, but I... never got answers to those questions.

"'I must be a chosen warrior of justice. They must be evil forces out to harm mankind.' My simplistic dualism... Slaughtering those creatures... I got used to the carnage... I believed... there was good and evil... That wars were fought between the evil... and the just. Such thinking was easy..."

Sensui smiled. "But it was... wrong. Humans know nothing of justice. I hated that failing... And that I shared in it. I yearned for a... heritage... from the Demon Plane. That yearning drew me, called me... commanded me. When I found out I had little time left... I felt a strange liberation. The barrier tunnel was... my little gift to the Demonic Realm. All I wanted was to die here. Urameshi..."

Yusuke stared down at Sensui, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"You truly reveled in our fight. So did I... If only for a moment. Thank you." Sensui's eyes glazed over as he took in his last breath. "Next time... Let me be born... a demon..." His head rolled to the side as he passed away.

Sayomi and the others could only stare down at Sensui's body in silence. Then Koenma stepped forward. "Shinobu..."

"Stay back." Itsuki glared at Koenma. "It's over, isn't it? So leave him, let him rest..."

Itsuki walked towards Sensui and lifted his body, holding his arm over his shoulders and supporting his waist. Itsuki summoned his floating eyeball-covered arms to close his portal around them.

"Koenma," Itsuki said sternly. "He had no wish to go to the Underworld. He cared nothing for your values. His soul is not yours to claim. We'll deal with eternity our way, just the two of us. This business of living has grown tiresome. Go!" He smiled as he and Sensui disappeared. "Find another enemy in your eternal struggle."

Once they were gone, Yusuke grinded his teeth. "Geez... It's like my opponent just... ran away."

"Same result, anyway," Kurama agreed. "In the end, he achieved his goal."

"By the way, Urameshi..." Kuwabara said. "Do you feel any different?"

"Different?" Yusuke blinked. "Well, my head seems heavier..."

Sayomi smirked as she snuck up behind Yusuke and pulled on his hair. "You mean this?"

" _Yipes!"_ Yusuke yelled in pain as he rubbed his head. "This _hair!_ And my _skin—!"_ He looked down at his arms that were covered in strange markings. He scratched his head and back as the strands made him itch. "Sheesh! I guess... I've really become a _demon."_

"Your ancestor was Class-S, I think," Kurama said. "And there's no reason to suppose he's deceased."

Sayomi looked down at the ground shamefully. _I know I need to tell him, but..._

"Ah! Good point!" Yusuke glared at his clenched fist. " _He's_ the one who delivered the final blow!"

"Come again?" Kurama asked.

"Well, y'see..." Yusuke explained what happened before he lost blacking out.

"A voice?" Kurama asked curiously, crossing his arms.

Sayomi's eyes widened as Yusuke said, "In my mind, before I lost consciousness. I'd fired the Reigun before I was aware of doing it. But at the moment of firing..." Yusuke glared at the forest. "I knew a power an order of magnitude beyond mine had done it. Someone else's power, if you get my drift."

"Hold on a sec!" Kuwabara yelled. "When you arrived on the Demon Plane, you were _already_ as powerful as Sensui! _And you still are!"_

"Yes, I know," Yusuke said. "But in that moment I was more."

"Y'mean, more powerful than... _yourself?!"_ Kuwabara asked.

"Yeah..." Yusuke nodded.

Kuwabara's complexion paled. "So this _demon ancestor_ of yours... is in some _totally out-there class?!"_

"By Underworld standards, yes," Kurama answered. "Class S is really a kind of catchall category. It's used for demonic variations that lie outside of the types the Underworld has commonly encountered. The deeper you go into the endless depths of the Demon Plane, the more variations you find, and the less you know about them."

"Heh heh... Okay, fine. Can I go now?" Kuwabara asked nervously.

"All right..." Yusuke pumped his fists. "I'm going to go _find_ this guy!"

"Huh?" Kuwabara did a double-take.

Sayomi stared at Yusuke, unable to speak up.

" _Are you nuts?!"_ Kuwabara reeled. " _Let's just get outta here!"_

"No!" Yusuke punched his open palm. "He interfered in my fight, and _nobody_ gets away with that!"

"Yusuke..."

Yusuke turned to Koenma curiously.

Keeping a stern face, Koenma said, "I'm not sure you fully grasp the situation. Even now, the Defense Squad is closing the portal. They should be done in about two days. Once it's closed, that's it. You'll have no way back to the Human World. If you want to spend your life fighting, the Demon Plane is the perfect place for it. You have 40 hours to decide."

Sayomi watched as Yusuke absorbed Koenma's words. She clenched her fists as she tried not to influence his choice. _If he wants to stay, I'll tell him where he can find the old man. But if he wants to go back, I won't stop him... I know it's selfish, but... I don't want this to end so soon..._


	49. Chapter 49

"Forty hours, Yusuke," Koenma said. "Remember, the decision you make will be _final."_

Sayomi clenched and unclenched her fists while taking slow breaths to calm her nerves. _I'll support his decision... No matter what it is..._

Yusuke looked around at the forest, as if looking for something. Then he looked at Koenma and said, "I don't need 40 hours. The Demon Plane is interesting..." Yusuke smiled as he looked up, towards the tunnel. "But I prefer my action in the Human World."

Sayomi heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. _I'm happy, but... How will I explain this to the Old Man?_ _What do I do now?_

As they mounted on Pu, Sayomi took care to not let Hiei fall off. She stared down at his sleeping face and brushed his bangs out of the way. _Should I have convinced him to stay here or...?_ She thought of the dying king and the guilt weighed heavy on her conscious. _I owe him my life... yet I'm too selfish to do the one thing he asked me to do._

Once they flew through the barrier net, Sayomi noticed three startled people in uniforms. _They're here, too?!_ "Koenma...?"

"Hm? What is it?" Koenma turned to her curiously.

"Why are there hunters here?" She kept her eyes on them until they disappeared from view.

Koenma scowled and said, "They are the Underworld Special Defense Force. Their main mission is to patrol the Demon Plane, the part under control of the Underworld. Their objective is to remove demons in order to expand our territory. They are also tasked with eliminating demons in the Human World, especially those that develop Class-A demonic powers and show threatening intentions."

"So does that mean they came here to stop the demons from coming through the portal?" Kuwabara asked.

"That's half of it," Koenma allowed. "They were also ordered, by my father, to eliminate Yusuke."

"What?!" Sayomi gasped.

"It's the truth." Koenma glared ahead as they came closer to the exit. "According to Captain Ohtake, Yusuke is a demon throwback."

"What is that?" Kuwabara asked.

"A throwback is the reappearance of a genetic trait after lying quiescent over several generations," Koenma explained. "In the matter of demonic DNA, demons can deliberately cause the trait to reemerge. However, demons that mated with humans did so mainly out of curiosity, so it's unlikely they saw it as a way to destroy humanity from within. Demons have been known to fall in love with humans, but it's very rare."

"Can any demon mate with a human?" Sayomi asked curiously.

"No," Kurama answered. "Only Class-A demons and up are capable of genetically crossing with humans."

"So why didn't Urameshi become a demon the first time he died?" Kuwabara asked.

"At Yusuke's first death," Koenma said. "He wasn't capable of dealing with the awakening process, so his true nature went undetected. If my father hadn't noticed the faint synchronization between Yusuke and the barrier tunnel, it would've remained so. By returning him to life as an Underworld Detective, we'd unwittingly helped revive an ancient demonic power. A power, in fact, that would have enabled him to open a portal to the Demon Plane as readily as Sensui. That was my father's fear."

"So because he thinks Yusuke might end up like Sensui, they tried to kill him?" Sayomi tried to understand the logic behind their reasoning. "But he's been fighting for you from the start, hasn't he?"

"My father sees it as history repeating itself. He doesn't know Yusuke and, with his awakened demonic blood, he doesn't want to leave things to chance." Koenma turned to her and said, "We can talk about _your_ role in all this another day. For now, I think we should focus on getting out of this safely."

Sayomi bit her lip and looked away from Koenma's stern gaze. Yusuke glared at Koenma and said, "Hey, don't blame this on her."

"Yusuke, I don't think you understand the seriousness of this situation," Koenma scolded him. "If she knew about this, how do we know she's not plotting something with your ancestor?"

Sayomi's eyes widened as Koenma's words hit close to home.

"She said herself that she wasn't sure it was me from the start. And it's not like she's the one who triggered it. If she knew, the only thing she did wrong was keep it a secret. And based on how your little security guards reacted, I can't say I blame her for keeping it to herself," Yusuke argued.

"Yusuke!" Koenma said sternly. "I said we will discuss it later."

Yusuke glared at him. "Fine."

Once they made it out of Hyperspace, Pu landed in front of the lake. Three more members of the SDF were focused on closing the tunnel while three others watched them warily. As they slid off the bird's back, Sayomi made sure not to make direct eye contact with any of them. _They're the ones who were hunting me and Yasuhiro..._

Pu flew straight up through the hole in the ceiling as soon as everyone had climbed off. Kuwabara carried Hiei on his back and walked towards Sayomi. "Hey, don't worry about them. Let's just get out of here."

"Yeah. Good idea." Sayomi kept her eyes on Hiei's sleeping form as they made their way to the exit. _As long as they're busy with the tunnel, they shouldn't bother with us, right?_

When she heard running footsteps, she turned and smiled when she saw Mitarai. He caught up with them and said, "I'm so glad you all made it out okay!"

"Hey, Mitarai!" Kuwabara greeted with a big smile. "I was wondering if you went back to the others or not."

"No." Mitarai snuck a glance at the SDF and turned back to leave with them. "They knocked me unconscious. When I woke up, they wouldn't let me leave. I was hoping you guys would be able to come back before they closed the tunnel completely."

"Well, now there's no need to worry." Yusuke smiled then glared at the captain. "They won't lay another hand on you or anyone else in our group."

When Sayomi saw them keep their distance, she looked at Yusuke and asked, "What did you do to them?"

Yusuke puffed out his chest and smirked. "I didn't hurt them or anything. I just gave them a piece of my mind and showed them who was boss."

"You also rubbed your smelly foot in Captain Ohtake's face," Koenma reminded him.

"Yeah, like I said, I showed them who was boss!" Yusuke grinned.

"Heh heh heh..." Sayomi snickered quietly to herself. _Maybe I don't have to worry after all._

The trek through the caves was long, but Kurama's glow buds made it simple enough to navigate through the maze. Sayomi would sneak occasional glances behind them as she sensed the hunters following them at a distance. _Although, just because they're not attacking, that doesn't mean they don't want to. I can feel their killing intent from here._

About half-way through the cave, Sayomi turned to Kuwabara. "You want me to carry him next?"

"Hm?" Kuwabara looked down at her. "I don't mind. He's not heavy or anything."

"Please, Kuwabara?" She snuck another glance behind them. "It'll make me feel better if I have something else to focus on."

Kuwabara nodded and handed the sleeping demon to her. Sayomi adjusted her grip under his legs and walked on.

She took in a deep inhale and smiled when his scent filled her nose. She could feel his body heat across her back and his breath against her neck. _This is the least I can do for helping me back there. Although, you'll probably be mad when you wake up back in the Human World._

When they made it out of the cave, Botan extended her arms and cheered. " _Hey! Look who's back!_ Then again..." She looked over Yusuke, at a loss for words. He smiled and raised a triumphant fist.

Yanagisawa stared at Yusuke with wide eyes. "What's with the hair, dude? Cool tattoos..."

Yusuke placed his hands on his hips and said, "It's a long story. Now pay up."

Sayomi turned around and saw all nine of the SDF members watching them from the cave entrance. She adjusted her hold on Hiei to calm her nerves.

The man with the bushy eyebrows and mustache stepped forward to speak. "Lord Koenma, the Underworld will take a dim view of your actions."

"I know," Koenma said calmly. "And I'll accept the consequences."

Yusuke scowled and turned to the SDF. "Listen up, bozos."

"Eh?" They flinched back in unison.

Yusuke clenched his fists and stood his ground. "I don't fight battles with lame opponents unless they _ask_ for it. I don't suggest you do that. Koenma acted in order to close that blasted portal. If the Underworld decides to punish him for that, I guarantee... I'll return the favor."

Captain Ohtake glared at him hatefully until they flew off to close the portal.

"So much for _that."_ Yusuke smirked as he watched them flee.

"Yep..." Kuwabara agreed.

" _Awright! Let's go home!"_ Yusuke declared. "I feel like I've been _fighting_ for a _year!"_

"That line sounds familiar..." Kuwabara mumbled.

Sayomi looked up at Yusuke and asked, "So are you keeping the hair, or...?"

"Oh right." Yusuke tugged on his hair and turned to Kurama. "You think you can hack this off for me?"

"My sister can cut it," Kuwabara offered. "It's what she does."

"But Kurama's right here," Yusuke countered.

Kurama smiled and said, "I'll cut it, but I can't do anything about the markings."

"That's fine, just get this stuff off me. It's really heavy and itchy." Yusuke sat down on the floor as Kurama turned a blade of grass into a knife.

While Kurama cut Yusuke's hair, Sayomi settled Hiei into the bed of the truck. She jumped in and rested his head in her lap. She played with his hair absentmindedly until Botan peeked over the edge. Sayomi heaved a sigh and turned to the nosy reaper with a raised brow.

Botan smiled and looked down at Hiei. "Oh my... I guess it was a tough one, huh?"

"Yeah..." Sayomi returned her attention to the sleeping swordsman. "I still can't believe we made it out of there alive."

"And how are _you_ feeling, dear?" Botan looked at Sayomi worriedly. "You look ready to pass out yourself."

"I probably am, but..." Sayomi ran her fingers through Hiei's hair. "There are some things I need to think about."

"Did something happen?" Botan asked quietly.

"Yeah..." Sayomi answered. "I don't really want to talk about it."

"I'm sorry, dear. I don't mean to pry, but at least get some rest." Botan noted the markings around Sayomi's eyes and across her cheeks and neck. "I'll watch over you both so no one disturbs you."

Sayomi stared down at Hiei's sleeping face. Then she looked over towards the others who were laughing and talking about what had happened in the Demon Plane. When she yawned, she gave in to Botan's offer. "Sleep sounds good..."

Botan smiled and climbed into the truck to sit beside her. "You can just lean on my shoulder." She smiled as she looked down at Hiei resting on Sayomi's lap. "I can even take care of some of your wounds so you can sleep easier."

"Thanks, Botan..." Sayomi smiled and rested against the reaper. Her hand still rested in Hiei's hair.

The next day, Sayomi woke up in an unfamiliar bed. She blinked and rubbed her eyes to make sure she was fully awake. She looked around the room and started to feel anxious until the door opened. When she turned to see who it was, she let out a sigh of relief. "Oh... It's just you."

"Is that how you thank someone for letting you sleep in their bed?" Yusuke asked with a teasing smirk.

"No, it's just you." Sayomi smirked. "Looks like your markings are gone."

"Yours too. Well... mostly." Yusuke took a seat at his desk and leaned back. "What's up with that?"

"Huh?" Sayomi blinked in confusion then looked down at her arms. Except for the black nails, her skin was bare. She lifted her shirt to look at her stomach and gasped when she didn't see any tattoos. "But..."

"Well..." Yusuke pointed at her and said, "There's just the one around your neck, but otherwise..."

Sayomi touched her throat in reflex. She looked around for a mirror and found one on his desk. She rushed by Yusuke to stare at her reflection in shock. There was a black jagged mark that wrapped around her neck like a collar.

Yusuke raised a worried eyebrow and said, "Hey, you okay? Isn't this better than being covered in them?"

"I don't know, Yusuke." Sayomi stared at the mark, unsure what to think.

Yusuke stood up from his seat and ruffled her hair. "Don't worry about it. It's probably a good thing."

"You really think so?" Sayomi asked, unconvinced.

"Hey, the way I see it, you're still here." He smirked. "And you're a lot stronger than before. I don't know why mine left, but I'll take it. That's one less thing for me to worry about."

Sayomi took in a deep breath and let out a slow exhale. She closed her eyes and did it one more time. Then a thought occurred to her and her eyes snapped open. "Oh! Where did Hiei go?"

"Heh." Yusuke grinned. "I was wondering when you would ask that."

Sayomi glared at him. "Just tell me, please."

"Why are you so mad? Practically everyone knows about it, anyway."

"Are you gonna tell me or not?" Sayomi snapped.

"Fine." Yusuke scowled and said, "Kurama took Hiei to his place. Though, knowing him, he's probably left by now."

"Right." Sayomi opened the bedroom window and climbed to the sill. "I might know where to find him."

"Of course, you do." Yusuke clasped his hands behind his head. "Tell your boyfriend I say hi."

"Shouldn't you be in school or something? I'm sure _Keiko's_ worried about you, too," Sayomi scolded.

When Yusuke waved her off and turned to leave, Sayomi jumped out of the window and landed with a roll. She stuffed her hands into her pockets and made her way to the local park. Once there, it didn't take her long to find his aura signature.

When she found him, he was sitting against the base of a tree and glaring down at the Chapter Black video. Kurama sat next to him. Not wanting to interrupt, Sayomi melded with a nearby shadow to hide her presence and listen.

"So you have the Chapter Black," Kurama observed. "What do you plan to do now?"

Hiei ignored his question and just stared down at the video tape.

Kurama smiled and returned his attention to the trees around them. "Or is there something else that's plaguing you?"

"What are you talking about?" Hiei leered at Kurama.

"Yusuke told me. When you came back, you refused to help any further. Then he offered you the tape as payment for your aid. Is that right?" Kurama looked at his friend for affirmation.

Hiei narrowed his eyes and nodded.

"But he mentioned he used it as an afterthought. He offered something else to get your attention initially."

"If you have a point, get to it," Hiei snapped impatiently.

"My apologies." Kurama smiled. "I was curious if he offered to give you Sayomi."

Hiei stared at Kurama. Then he looked back down at the video. "And if he did?"

"Well, first I would like to inform you that she is not his to give. Second, I was curious if that was why you're still here." Kurama asked.

"She's the one who dragged me back here while I was asleep," Hiei said with a hint of annoyance.

"That's not what I meant," Kurama said. "Are you planning to wait until she's ready or will you take your first chance to go back without her?"

The silence stretched on for a couple minutes before Hiei said, "I guess it depends on what comes first."

"I see." Kurama stood up and brushed the dirt from his pants. "So long as you understand where your choices will lead you."

Hiei didn't say anything as Kurama left him alone to go to school.

When she was certain Kurama was gone, Sayomi manifested farther away than before. She leaned back against a tree and started taking deep breaths. _So... He won't wait forever. I guess that's better than nothing, but what if he leaves before...?_

Her breathing hitched and she felt her chest tighten. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back to breathe. _It's fine... Even if he leaves, things will just go back to how they were before, right? Besides, it's not like he's interested in me_ that _way. He just wants someone to train with. I enjoy it too, but..._ She shook her head to clear her thoughts. _I can worry about this later._

Sayomi navigated back towards Hiei. She frowned when he didn't bother to look up at her. She let out a sigh and took Kurama's seat. "So, have you seen it yet?"

"What do _you_ think?" Hiei asked dryly.

"I thought you were gonna steal a TV and VCR to watch it," she teased.

Hiei glared at her, but it lacked his its usual sting. Then his gaze drifted lower. "What is that?"

Sayomi's hand instantly reached up to cover the mark. Hiei grabbed her wrist and tugged her hand away to get a proper look. When she tried to scoot away, he growled. "Stop it."

She stopped moving. Trying to ignore their proximity, she asked, "Are you done yet?"

Hiei looked down at her arm. "The rest of them are gone. So why is this one still here?"

Sayomi tried to pull her wrist free, but Hiei twisted it to check her nails. She growled at how easily he was able to control her. Hiei scowled and let her go. She rubbed her wrist and glared at him. "You didn't have to hold on so tightly."

"What happened?" Hiei asked.

Sayomi scowled and crossed her arms. "You're asking _me?_ I don't know anything I haven't already told you. I noticed Yasuhiro doesn't have his markings anymore either except for the ones around his eyes. If you want to know, then ask him."

Hiei scowled. "I'd rather not."

There was a tense silence between them before Sayomi spoke up. "So, I wanted to say thanks... for helping me out."

"If I hadn't then you would've faded. Even _I'm_ not heartless enough to let that happen." Hiei looked down at the tape in his hand. "Why did you bring me back here? I was finally back in the Demon Plane."

"I wasn't gonna just leave you there unconscious," Sayomi shrugged. "What else was I supposed to do?"

"You could've stayed with me."

"Huh?" Sayomi turned to Hiei in confusion. "You mean... But I would've been too drained to really do anything."

Hiei met her gaze. "We don't belong here. Isn't your debt paid yet?"

Sayomi sighed and looked down at the ground. Hiei cupped her chin and brought her attention back up to him. She stared at his eyes and took in a deep breath. "Not yet... I still..."

Hiei sighed and let her go. "You don't have to tell me the details. Your reaction is clear enough."

Sayomi stared down at the floor. "Sorry."

"Save it." Hiei stood up and tossed the video. Then he drew his sword and sliced it in half. He looked down at her and said, "It's not like I'll be going back anytime soon, anyway."

Sayomi looked up at him and blinked. "You're not mad at me?"

Hiei smirked. "For keeping secrets? Hardly. You're not anymore obligated to tell me anything than I am to tell you." Then he turned to leave. "Come find me when you're ready to talk about it."

Sayomi watched him leave then took in a deep breath. She smiled and closed her eyes. _That's probably the best I'm gonna get._

Before long, she was back in the Void. She looked down at her arms and saw they were still bare. "So what does this mean? Hiei said I was close to fading and I remember being covered almost completely. What happened between then and now?"

Her voice drifted into the empty space until the silence swallowed it. Then her thoughts shifted to Yusuke and his demon lineage. "If he had chosen to stay in the Demon Plane, I would've had to escort him to Tourin. I would've had to go back and leave this all behind. If I don't stay in Tourin, then where else would I go? I don't really want to go back with Yasuhiro."

"Geez, sis. That really hurts."

Sayomi closed her eyes and fixed her expression into a blank mask. "What do you want _now?"_

Yasuhiro appeared in front of her with his arms crossed. He smiled down at her and said, "You can't really _mean_ that. Do you know how _hard_ it is to find one of our kind? It took me years just to find _you."_

Sayomi stared at him and said, "I didn't ask you to. I was doing just fine on my own."

"I seem to remember seeing you covered in markings from the Void last time I saw you. Now you're down to the one. Does the detective's new demon-hood have something to do with it?" Yasuhiro narrowed his eyes as he mentioned Yusuke.

Sayomi took in a deep breath to keep herself calm. "How do you know about that?"

Yasuhiro sighed. "Sayomi, it was a battle between two S-Class powers. Half the Demon Plane knew about it. I was actually making my way towards the battle when I sensed you had returned. When I finally got there, you had already left again. So I followed you."

"What?" Sayomi's eyebrow arched in confusion. "You mean... you're in the Human World?"

"For now," Yasuhiro answered. "I can't risk exposing myself since the Underworld is keeping close tabs on you."

Sayomi narrowed her eyes. "You didn't need to come here. I'm gonna go back soon."

"How soon?" Yasuhiro asked. "Because now that the portal is closed, you don't have a way back."

"I'll find a way." Sayomi was careful not show him how right he was. "Now that Yusuke has awakened, I have no other choice."

"So you _knew_ this was going to happen?" Yasuhiro asked.

"To a degree," Sayomi answered. "Now that it's happened, I need to take him back."

"Back where? _Who_ would want the _Underworld Detective?_ " Yasuhiro sneered with annoyance.

"That's not your concern," Sayomi said sternly. "The point is, I need to take him back. There's no reason for _you_ to be here."

"Oh?" Yasuhiro arched his brow. "I believe I have plenty of reason. Like keeping an eye on you and that thief."

"What does Hiei have to do with you being here?" Sayomi asked. "We just train together."

"That's reason enough," Yasuhiro said. "His training is what pushed you to almost fading away. I could've lost you for good this time."

"Well luckily, thanks to Hiei, that didn't happen," Sayomi argued.

" _Thanks_ to him?" Yasuhiro glared down at her. "It's _because of him_ that you were in danger in the first place."

"Maybe at first, but he's also the one who pulled me out of it when it was really bad," Sayomi defended. "So you really have no reason to be here."

"I see." Yasuhiro narrowed his eyes then closed them with a sigh. "So you choose that thief over your own brother?"

"Stop putting words in my mouth. I'm just trying to say that you have no reason to worry and you shouldn't be here."

"Sayomi..." Yasuhiro stared at her neck. "Do you want to know why this is happening to you? Why your Shade is gone and why you're down to that lone marking?" He pointed at his eyes where his mark was. "I'm the only one who can answer your questions. Why do you insist on pushing me away?"

"I just..." Sayomi looked down, avoiding his eyes. "I don't see why you need to be _here!_ Why couldn't you wait until I got back?"

"I think I've waited long enough. I won't interfere with your business and I won't harm your friends while I'm here, but I will be keeping a close eye on you. I think I deserve _that much_ for finally reuniting with my only family."

Sayomi bit her lip and clenched her fists. She tried to think of an argument, but nothing was coming to mind. _He's not wrong, but..._

"If you do find your way back home, I'll be there with you. I'll keep a respectable distance, but should anything happen to you, I'll be there instantly." Yasuhiro walked up to Sayomi and patted her head. He frowned when she flinched away. "I just hope you won't need my help."

"I won't..." Sayomi stayed out of her brother's reach. "My friends will be there."

"But they're not your _family."_ Yasuhiro narrowed his eyes and turned to leave. "We'll see how loyal your friends are when it really counts."

Once he was gone, Sayomi took in a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. "This is just what I didn't need. Why did he have to follow me _here_ of all places? And why _now_? I just hope he keeps his word and stays at a distance."

Later that evening, she met up with Yusuke in his room. She arched her brow when she noticed he was in a mood. "Are you okay?"

Yusuke sighed and scratched his head. "I don't know. I guess I'm just feeling bored."

"What about those games you're always playing?" Sayomi asked. She sat down and leaned against his bedroom wall.

"It's not the same." Yusuke collapsed on his bed and stared at the ceiling. "I guess... I was thinking that maybe I _should've_ stayed in the Demon Plane, you know?"

Sayomi's gaze fell to the floor. "Oh..."

"I can tell you know something about it..." Yusuke sat up and looked at her. "I'm not mad or anything, but I am _curious_."

"Curious about what?" Sayomi looked up at him.

"If I had chosen to stay, would you have taken me to him? If you knew that was gonna happen, then does that mean he was the one who sent you to find me?"

The look in Yusuke's eye was enough to make Sayomi's guilt return. "Yeah... I know who he is. I was actually supposed to take you back to him when your powers awakened, but..." She looked at her feet. "I didn't want to influence your choice."

"It was the right decision for all concerned. But if it had just been me and you, then I probably would've chosen to stay."

Sayomi looked up to see him smiling at her. "Really?"

Yusuke shrugged. "Well, he took that victory from me. I need to make him pay. If you know where to find him, then that would save me some trouble."

"I see." Sayomi sighed. "If we can find a way, then I can take you to him, but until then..."

"Yeah, I know." Yusuke stared back up at the ceiling. "I just wanted to hear it from you. It's not a big deal."

Sayomi smiled, despite her feelings. "Thanks, Yusuke."

She tried not to think about Yasuhiro lurking close by. _I can't sense him anywhere. For all I know, he's hiding in my own shadow. So long as he doesn't try anything, then maybe we can make it back okay._


	50. Chapter 50

"Oh come on!"

Sayomi woke with a start at the sound of Yusuke's yelling. She looked out the window from her futon on the floor and sighed. _It's still early..._ She looked at Yusuke and asked, "What's wrong?"

Yusuke threw off his covers and got out of bed. "Even in my _dreams_ I can't be beat! I was tied up and everything!"

Sayomi yawned and stretched before getting out of bed. She had started sleeping in Yusuke's room when she found out Yasuhiro was in the Human World. _It's been a month and, so far, he hasn't shown up yet. Maybe he'll stick to his word after all._

"I don't think I can take this anymore..." Yusuke muttered as he looked out the window.

"If we could, I wouldn't mind taking you to the old man. Only thing is..." Sayomi looked down at her feet.

Yusuke turned to her with a curious look. "What's up?"

Sayomi let out a heavy sigh and looked up at him. "This is something I should've told you a while ago. There's a reason I didn't speak up when it happened." She could tell he knew what she was talking about. "I didn't want to go back."

"Why not? I figured you wanted to go back as bad as Hiei." Yusuke took a seat at his desk and leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees. "Is it because of your brother?"

Sayomi stiffened at the mention of him. She tried to ignore the paranoia that told her he was listening. "No... Not completely, at least. I don't want to go back because of how I was treated back there."

Yusuke frowned. "Did my ancestor do something to you?"

"Ha ha ha!" The idea made Sayomi laugh. "Oh no. That's not what I meant. He actually really helped me out. It's his... subordinates... that didn't like me very much. Only a few of them actually talked to me. The rest either glared down at me or just ignored me altogether."

"Oh yeah?" Yusuke asked. "Well how about this?" He stood up and jerked his thumb at himself. "After I take down the old fart, I'll teach his guys a lesson! Sound good?"

Sayomi grinned and said, "I don't think I would mind taking you back if I get to see _that!_ I _will_ warn you... The old man is still the strongest I've ever met. So don't think it'll be so easy to beat him."

"We'll see." Yusuke smirked and ruffled her hair. "So, I think I'm running a fever. Guess I gotta miss school. Wanna get a drink?"

"Sure," Sayomi smiled. "Where are we going?"

"Just a small diner downtown." Yusuke walked to his closet to pull out his green uniform. "Koenma is supposed to meet me there."

Sayomi took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Oh, right. I guess we should get this over with, huh?"

When they walked into the diner, Yusuke scanned the room until he found Koenma. He was in his teenage body, dressed in a tan suit with a purple headband covering his forehead. Sayomi took in a deep breath before following Yusuke to the table.

Yusuke slid into the booth and Sayomi slid in after him. A waitress came by and Yusuke ordered a cup of coffee while Sayomi asked for tea. After their drinks arrived, Yusuke took a sip of his coffee and looked at his former boss. "So what's this all about?"

Koenma took a sip from his coffee and looked at Yusuke. Then he looked at Sayomi. "Well first, I wanted to ask you about your involvement. How did you know about Yusuke's heritage and why didn't you say anything about it sooner?"

"Really, Koenma?" Yusuke sighed.

"I'm not talking to _you_ , Yusuke." Koenma kept his eyes on Sayomi, waiting for her to answer.

Sayomi took a drink from her tea and said, "I came to the Human World, as a sort of favor to Yusuke's ancestor. I didn't really know who to look for, but when he defeated Rando, I figured he was the best bet." She looked up at Koenma, though she struggled to meet his eyes. "I didn't mention it because... I wasn't really sure he was the one I was looking for. And I didn't know what would happen if I told anyone. I didn't have proof and there was the chance I was wrong."

"A favor? Can you elaborate?" Koenma asked.

Sayomi took in a deep breath. "I stumbled into his territory when I was trying to escape the hunters. His people found me and he allowed me to stay so long as I returned the favor. He wouldn't tell me what he wanted until it was time for me to leave."

"So now that you know for certain that Yusuke is the one you're looking for, what are you going to do?" Koenma kept his tone light and calm. He wasn't Yusuke's boss anymore and he didn't have any real authority over the demoness. He just wanted answers.

"Well, now that he's awakened, I'm supposed to take him back." Sayomi looked down at her cup and frowned.

"Why didn't you speak up about it when we were in the Demon Plane? I imagine that would've been the perfect opportunity to take him back," Koenma reasoned.

"I didn't want to," Sayomi whispered. "You asked _him_ what he wanted to do and I didn't want to force him. I still don't want to, but..."

"You have to," Koenma finished.

Sayomi nodded.

"One last thing. Why did you fight when I specifically told you not to?" Koenma asked.

Sayomi finished her tea before she answered. "Because Yusuke died. For a moment, he was alive and smiling back at us, then the next... He was dead. I remember staring down at him and something... broke. I didn't come to my senses until just before you guys showed up."

Koenma sighed and finished his coffee. "I see. Since you seem to be telling the truth, I'll do the same. I think you should've taken him while we were still in the Demon Plane."

Sayomi looked up at Koenma, her brow arched in confusion. Yusuke's eyes narrowed and he asked, "Why do you say that?"

"I didn't get punished. Not yet, anyway." Koenma leaned back and slipped his hands into his pockets. "But Dad's very sly. We must stay on our toes."

"So the Underworld wants me gone? Fine." Yusuke slurped down the rest of his coffee and smirked. "It's been too quiet lately."

"Do you regret it?" Koenma asked.

"Regret what?" Yusuke asked.

"Returning to Human World," Koenma answered seriously.

Yusuke mused in silence while Koenma paid for their drinks. After they left the shop, they strolled through the streets until Yusuke answered, "Not really. I'm just a little antsy. Life can get kinda dull around these parts."

Sayomi followed close behind them with her hands in her pockets and her eyes on the floor. _You've been getting moodier by the day. If I had just spoken up about it sooner..._

"But maybe I just feel that way in general." Yusuke shrugged.

"You should talk to Genkai," Koenma suggested. "She might know how to alleviate your ennui."

"Hmph!" Yusuke scoffed. "I doubt it."

Koenma turned back to Sayomi. "You too. You've known her the longest so she might be able to understand a bit more about your condition."

Sayomi nodded. The mark around her neck was a constant reminder that something had changed and she didn't know what. _Yasuhiro keeps dodging my questions. Any time I've tried to bring it up, he either changed the subject or tried to use it as bait for me to go back._

Once Koenma left, Yusuke and Sayomi made their way back to the apartment. It was a quiet walk, but neither of them minded. They were both lost in thought about the news and how to move forward.

As soon as he got home, Yusuke went to change out of his uniform. He quickly slipped into a pair of jeans and a tropical button-up shirt. Sayomi blinked at the strange clothing choice.

As they walked out the door, Yusuke yelled, "I'm going to Genkai's! I'll be back later!"

"Can you grab a six pack on your way back?" Atsuko asked from the other room.

Without answering, Yusuke shut the door behind them and made his way to the nearest train station. Before they got too close to the crowds, Sayomi merged with his shadow. After several train stops and a short bus ride, Yusuke arrived at the edge of Genkai's property.

After the bus drove off, Sayomi manifested from Yusuke's shadow and prepared for the long hike. Her eyes scanned the trees, keeping her senses open and aware of their surroundings. _Is Yasuhiro here too?_

Although they could both make it up the stairs in no time, they were content with walking. The chirping birds and the occasional rodents soon put Sayomi's mind at ease. The shade coupled with the wind was enough to keep her cool and her breathing even. _Why don't I come here more often? Hiei always seems to be in places like this..._

The very thought of the fire demon was enough to make her blush. _I wonder where he is now? Has he gotten impatient and left or is he still around?_ She started to search the trees, feeling out for his aura. When she didn't find anything, she let out a quiet sigh.

"Somethin' up, Sai?"

Sayomi looked up at Yusuke. He was looking down at her from several meters up. She blinked and said, "Sorry, guess I zoned out for a bit."

"Anything you want to talk about?" Yusuke asked.

Sayomi hesitated. _Should I really tell him or...?_

Yusuke smirked. "Were you _looking_ for someone?"

Sayomi scowled. "Just keeping an eye out in case we get attacked."

"Yeah, sure." Yusuke snickered. "Since when did the idea of getting jumped make you blush?"

"Shut up, Yusuke." Sayomi stuffed her hands into her pockets and sulked up the steps. "I'm just a little winded."

"No you're not." Yusuke waited for her then continued up beside her. "When was the last time you saw each other?"

"Why are _you_ talking to me about this?" Sayomi asked suspiciously.

"Because I know you won't talk to anyone else about it," Yusuke said with a smug look.

Sayomi sighed and shook her head. "Guess it can't be helped. We haven't seen each other since after we got back from the Demon Plane."

"That long, huh?" Yusuke frowned. "Well, if he's gonna be anywhere, I would think it would be here."

"Why here?" Sayomi asked.

Yusuke smiled as they finally reached the top of the stairs. Sayomi looked around the courtyard and she felt a sense of nostalgia. _How long has it been since I first arrived in the Human World?_

Before they made it to the temple, Yukina opened the door with a smile. She bowed and said, "Hello. Genkai is waiting for you in the game room."

"Thanks, Yukina." Yusuke smiled and made his way to the room. "Hopefully this won't take too long. Sai, keep Yukina company. I'll come find you when I finish talking with Grandma."

"Wait, Yusuke." Sayomi stepped in front of him. "I need to talk to her, too, remember?"

"Oh yeah." Yusuke grinned and scratched the back of his head. "Then I'll come get you when it's your turn."

Sayomi scowled and let him walk by. "You better..."

Once Yusuke was gone, Yukina smiled and said, "It's a pleasure to see you, Ms. Sayomi. How have you been?"

Sayomi turned to the ice maiden and forgot about her annoyance with Yusuke. "Oh, not bad. Things have just been pretty slow lately."

"I see." Yukina looked out towards the trees and let the wind blow through her hair. "There's nothing wrong with enjoying the peace, although I suppose Yusuke isn't really one for days like this."

Sayomi sat on the temple steps and sighed. "Yeah, he's not exactly leaping for joy about it."

"Would you like to go for a walk?" Yukina asked. "They could be a while if Master Genkai is playing games. We could pick herbs and enjoy the weather."

Sayomi stared at the trees, then turned to the temple. _Knowing Yusuke, he's going to avoid the issue until she finally drags it out of him. I'd like to hear what they talk about, but..._ She glanced up at Yukina. _This will be the first time I get to spend time with her without anyone else around._

"If you would prefer to stay here, we could find something else to do," Yukina offered.

Sayomi smiled. "A walk actually sounds pretty good right now. Anywhere you would like to go?"

Yukina smiled and started walking towards the back entrance of the temple. "There's a pleasant shaded path down this way. And there are no stairs to worry about."

Sayomi followed after her and rested her hands in her pockets. "That does sound nice. Anything we're looking for in particular?"

"I figured we could just walk along the path and pick up what we see along the way. I don't want to bore you by staying in one spot for too long." Yukina matched her pace with Sayomi.

"I don't mind." Sayomi smiled. "Anything would be better than just sitting around, waiting on Yusuke."

"Is he really feeling down?" Yukina asked worriedly.

"Just a little more cranky than usual." Sayomi shrugged. "But I've been feeling a bit antsy myself."

"You really enjoy fighting, don't you?" Yukina giggled behind her sleeve.

Sayomi grinned. "Yeah, I do. It's hard to explain unless you actually do it. Granted, I don't need the world to be in danger to enjoy a good fight."

"That's good to hear. Are you still training with Mr. Hiei?"

Sayomi could feel her cheeks get warm but she tried to ignore it. "Actually, I haven't seen him in a while."

"Oh no! Did something happen between you two?" Yukina asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

"No, not really. It's just that a lot happened in the Demon Plane so he's giving me time to sort it all out." Sayomi didn't want Yukina to get the wrong idea.

"I see." Yukina smiled with relief. "It's good to know you didn't have a disagreement or anything."

Sayomi bit her lip nervously. _There is a small disagreement, but nothing she needs to worry about._ "What about you, Yukina? Have you seen him around here at all?"

"No, I haven't. Kazuma has come by several times, but not Mr. Hiei."

Sayomi quirked her eyebrow. _I notice she calls Kuwabara by his first name, yet she's so formal with everyone else._ "Yukina, what do you think of Kuwabara?"

Yukina's face lit up and she said, "Kazuma is very kind. He always comes by to tell me news or help me around the temple. He can be a goof-ball sometimes."

Sayomi smirked as she remembered her first meeting with the human. "You're a lot nicer about it than I was."

"Did you not get along?" Yukina asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Well, it's more along the lines of having different opinions on certain topics. Overall, he's not bad once you get used to him."

"I'm glad to hear that. I heard you had a hard time getting used to everyone."

"Where did you hear that?" Sayomi asked.

"Kazuma and Master Genkai. They said you were only really nice to Mr. Yusuke, but you didn't let anyone else get too close."

Sayomi let out a sigh. "He's not wrong. I guess I did have trouble adjusting. I wasn't very used to humans and the fact that Hiei and Kurama were criminals put me even more on edge."

"So why were you okay with Mr. Yusuke?" Yukina asked.

Sayomi looked up at the trees in thought. _I guess there's no harm in telling her now that everyone else already knows._ "I was sent here to look for Yusuke and keep him safe. At the time, I saw everyone as a potential threat. Now that I think back, it was pretty silly of me."

"Not at all." Yukina smiled. "You were doing your job. I'm glad you were able to get along with everyone with time."

"I'll admit..." Sayomi smiled sheepishly. "I'm still a little uncomfortable with some people more than others, but I don't hate anyone."

"You prefer being around the boys, right?"

"Yeah, but that's just what I'm used to. My mother died when I was young, so I didn't really have any female role models. Just my brother, a stubborn old man, and a bunch of monks."

"You have a brother? What's he like?" Yukina's eyes lit up at the mention of Sayomi's sibling.

"Well..." Sayomi looked down at the ground. The dirt was loose and cool beneath her feet. She tried to think of the right words as she kicked a small pebble. "Before our mother died, he was very nice. He was always making me laugh and taking care of me. But then, after... He became so focused on protecting me, he lost himself. Then we got separated. I haven't really seen him since."

"Oh my goodness... I'm so sorry!" Yukina's eyes widened when she heard Sayomi's story.

"It's okay! It was a long time ago." Sayomi waved off Yukina's apology. "I know he's not dead, but I don't know if I want to see him again."

"I see..." Yukina let the topic go, not wanting to upset Sayomi.

As they lapsed into silence, Sayomi bit her lip. _Damn, this is awkward. I was hoping to avoid talking about this, but..._ "Yukina, mind if I ask a personal question?"

"I don't mind," Yukina said.

 _Please don't be anywhere nearby..._ Sayomi took in a deep breath and asked, "What if you met your brother and found out he wasn't really a good person? Would you still accept him as your brother or would you turn him away?"

Yukina blinked and looked up in thought.

 _I hope she doesn't take it the wrong way. I just need advice so I'll know how to handle Yasuhiro._ Sayomi waited anxiously for the ice maiden's answer.

After a couple minutes, Yukina smiled. "I would accept him. If he is truly a bad person, then he would have no problem hurting me. But if he doesn't intend to hurt me then maybe he's not so bad after all. If he did bad things, then maybe he didn't have a choice. I wouldn't want to judge him for doing his best to survive."

Sayomi stared at Yukina. Then she smiled and shook her head. "You're a much better person than I am."

When they made it back to the temple, Sayomi found Yusuke still playing games with Genkai. She leaned against the door and watched the two characters on the TV fight.

"Living's tougher than fighting, so suck up and don't be such a baby," Genkai scolded. Yusuke scowled as his teacher started her lecture. "You could get sick of it all and go on a rampage, and I'd be powerless to stop you."

"What're you yakkin' about?" When Yusuke's character died, he laughed. "Argh! Lost again!"

Sayomi quietly sighed when she saw the score. _One player, 45 wins against 2 losses... That's not too bad, but has it really been that long?_

"We're all capable of thoughtless destruction," Genkai continued. "It could be destruction of a toy, a pet, a marriage, or an entire country. Imagine, though, what you might destroy." Genkai smiled as Yusuke listened. "If you ever get that urge, come for me first. That might get it out of your system."

"Aw c'mon, that's crazy," Yusuke drawled.

"Maybe... But here." Genkai reached into her pocket and tossed Yusuke a folded piece of paper.

Yusuke caught it and blinked. "An address? Whose?"

"Kuroko Sato, maiden name Sanada. The first Underworld Detective. It might be worth your while to get her perspective on things." Genkai turned around and smiled. "Now get out of here. It's her turn."

"Huh?" Yusuke blinked and turned around. "When did _you_ get here?"

Sayomi shrugged. "Who knows?"

Yusuke scowled and got up to leave. "Whatever, just don't take too long. Who knows when the next bus will come."

"Then you shouldn't have wasted so much time, Yusuke." Sayomi smiled as Yusuke grumbled and walked out of the room. Then she took Yusuke's seat and turned to Genkai. "So, where do we begin?"

"Hmph!" Genkai smirked. "We can start with what happened to all the markings that disappeared."

"Yeah, okay." Sayomi looked down at her black nails. "Well, there's not much I can tell you. One day, I was covered with them, then they were gone the next."

"Except for one," Genkai pointed out. "Any idea why that one is still around?"

"I'm not sure." Sayomi touched her neck. "I know my brother has something similar in a different place, but I don't know why."

"Did anything unusual happen in the Demon Plane?" Genkai asked.

"Unusual?" Sayomi tried to remember the fight against Sensui. "I remember seeing Yusuke die. After that, I fell into the Void. I was told that I fought as hard as I could with my aura and that I was dangerously close to fading. All I can remember is coming back and everyone was already beaten up pretty bad, myself included."

"So you weren't aware of your own condition. You fought instinctively without any concern for your own well-being."

"Pretty much." Sayomi looked down. "I was sad about letting Yusuke die. I didn't care about anything else."

"It sounds like your powers and your emotions are linked," Genkai deduced. "Instead of fearing for your life, you were sad over someone else's death."

Sayomi's eyes widened as she listened to Genkai's reasoning. "So, I didn't fade because..."

Genkai smirked. "You didn't fade because you weren't afraid of fading. You just wanted to avenge the dimwit and that pushed fear out the window. You used your sadness to fuel your aura instead of your fear and that enabled you to keep yourself together, in a sense."

 _But I was afraid... Until..._ Sayomi thought back to her moment with Hiei in the Void.

"If you want my advice, don't let your fear hold you back. If you give in to it, it'll overpower you and you'll always be a prisoner of regret. If you overcome it, then you'll break free and live your life your way."

"But... What if I lose control again?" Sayomi asked quietly. _I can't remember that fight. I wasn't in control and I almost_ did _fade away._

"When you came to me, you asked me to train you," Genkai said. "When I agreed, I put you through long hours of rigorous training with your aura. Everything you did required using it to some degree. Though you did not train with it in combat, you gained field experience. You had proper control, but you were always afraid of losing it. I believe it was that fear that caused your markings to show up in the first place."

"But then, what about this one?" Sayomi touched her neck. "And my nails? They weren't black before either, but now they won't go back to normal."

"I'm afraid I don't have an answer for that one." Genkai picked up her controller and started a round with the computer. "Is there still something that's bothering you?"

Sayomi stared down at her nails and clenched her fist. "Yeah... I guess there is."

"Well, you might as well let it out while you're here. The dimwit wasted enough time on his own." Genkai turned her attention to the screen and started her match.

Sayomi watched the screen for a moment to give herself something else to look at. "It's a couple things, actually. One has to do with Yusuke."

"I'm listening," Genkai nodded, encouraging her to speak.

"I'm supposed to take him back to the Demon Plane to meet with his ancestor." Sayomi imagined the old man sitting in his throne. _I wonder how much thinner he's gotten..._

"I figured that had something to do with it. It was the reason you came here to begin with." Genkai smiled at the memory as she won the first round.

"Yeah." Sayomi smiled sadly. "I didn't think it would be this hard to finish. Especially since it's what I've wanted for the longest time."

"What were you supposed to get out of it?" Genkai asked.

"My freedom." Sayomi thought back to the angry monks that tolerated her presence. They would give her the poorest fruits and vegetables from their crops. She would be the last to use the facilities or be forced to go elsewhere. "I wasn't really liked and I didn't have anywhere else to go. So when I first arrived, I was given a deal."

"What kind of deal?"

"I would be protected in his territory, but then I would owe him a favor. And only after my favor was paid in full, I would get to leave and fend for myself." Sayomi could feel her old resentment rising, but she calmly took in a deep breath and relaxed her muscles. "Now that it's time to pay up, I don't really want to anymore."

"I see. And that's also why you wanted to learn to fight. You were preparing to live on your own," Genkai concluded. "Now that you can fight and you still owe this favor, you're reluctant to pay up because then it'll mean moving on."

"Basically..." Sayomi hung her head and sighed. "Honestly, this is probably the happiest I've ever been."

"Well you're always welcome to come here so long as you don't break anything," Genkai said. "So if you're scared of saying goodbye, then don't be. Now, what is this other thing that's bothering you?"

Sayomi smiled when she heard Genkai's offer to come back, but then she remembered why she couldn't accept it. "My brother..."

"Didn't know you had one," Genkai said as she won another round.

"That's because when I first got here, I thought he was dead." Sayomi scanned the room, looking at every shadow. "I didn't realize he was alive until the Dark Tournament."

"Was he there?" Genkai asked.

"No, but he showed up in some of my meditations." Sayomi tried not to show how scared she really was. "Since then, he's been showing up more and more, wanting me to go back with him."

"But you don't want to," Genkai concluded.

Sayomi shook her head. "I really don't."

"What do you think will convince him to let you stay here?"

"I don't know. He gets mad anytime I mention Yusuke or any of the guys. He was really angry when he realized I was helping the Underworld."

"Not many demons like the Underworld or humans in general. I'm curious why _you_ don't seem to hate them."

"Yusuke's ancestor always thought well of humans, even if they were bad. I guess it's a lesson he drilled into me and I just didn't realize it until I came here." Sayomi remembered how she initially hated Rando for testing his powers on humans. Then she remembered her brother had done the same thing and she clenched her fists in her lap. "Now if I know a demon is harming humans, it really gets to me."

"Did your brother harm humans around you?" Genkai asked.

"At the time, I was too young to understand what was really happening. Now the very thought of it makes me so angry." Sayomi did her best to keep her breathing calm. "I don't want to go back, but if I don't..."

"Sounds like you're in a real bind," Genkai said. "You can't take Yusuke back to the Demon Plane now that the tunnel is closed. And even if it wasn't, you don't really want to. But if you don't, then your brother might come for you."

 _He's already here... somewhere..._ Sayomi glared down at the floor. "Pretty much..."

"Does Koenma know?" Genkai asked.

"Yeah..." Sayomi said quietly.

"Then the only thing I can tell you is to be patient. If he knows about your dilemma, then he'll probably do what he can to help. Although, he might be more limited with his resources these days," Genkai said.

"I guess you're right," Sayomi admitted glumly. "I just hope it doesn't take too long. Otherwise I'll drive myself crazy waiting for something to happen."

Genkai smirked and said, "Be careful what you wish for. The universe has a funny way of granting them."

"Ah, good point." Sayomi smiled. "Because, after I leave, I might not be able to come back."

"Then might as well enjoy the peace while you can. Take it from an old woman who's done her share of fighting. Days like this are few and far between. Try not to take it for granted just because it's boring."

"Yes, Master Genkai." Sayomi stood up and bowed. "Thank you for everything."

"Hmph!" Genkai smirked and turned back to her game. "Now get out of here. I can hear the dimwit whining from here."

"Hey! I'm not whining!" Yusuke yelled from around the corner.

"Were you listening?" Sayomi asked, walking out to the hallway.

"Not my fault you're loud." Yusuke stuffed his hands in his pockets and asked, "Are you ready yet?"

"Yeah, yeah." Sayomi headed for the stairs that led to the bus stop. "I'm pretty sure you took twice as long as me and with less talking."

"Whatever." Yusuke pulled the paper from his pocket. "Looks like we have another detective to track down."

"So the very first Underworld Detective was a woman?" Sayomi asked. _That's kinda surprising, but if Genkai trained her too..._

"Yeah, but it doesn't matter. Important thing is, she might be able to help." Yusuke put the paper back into his pocket. "Did Grandma help you at all?"

"Yeah, she gave me some good advice." Sayomi smiled.

"Cool." Yusuke grinned. "Good to know this trip wasn't a waste of time. Looks like I'll be skipping school again tomorrow. You wanna tag along?"

"Sure, I got nothing better to do." Sayomi grinned. _So long as I'm not left alone for too long. I don't want Yasuhiro paying me a personal visit any time soon. Besides, I really should have fun here while I still can._


	51. Chapter 51

"Where the ding-dong is this place?!" Yusuke clutched the address in his hand as he stepped off the train and walked around aimlessly.

"You know, it wouldn't hurt to ask for directions," Sayomi suggested. "By the way, why did you dress up? You didn't dress like this for Koenma or Genkai."

"Shut up, Sai," Yusuke mumbled. "I don't know this Kuroko chick. I need to present myself as someone worth helping."

He was dressed in gray slacks with a navy-blue jacket over a white shirt. Sayomi looked down at her usual black cargo pants and purple tunic. Her cloak was pushed back behind her shoulders so she could feel the sun on her skin. "I've never seen you care about that before. I'm just saying it's different. No need to be so defensive."

"Didn't sound that way to me." Yusuke scowled.

"Then maybe you should get your hearing checked. Oh..." Sayomi smiled when she saw a small town in the distance. "Maybe they'll know where to go."

Yusuke sighed. "Yeah, I guess it's better than wasting time trying to find it ourselves."

When they approached the town, they asked an old man who pointed them down to a path. They followed the trail until they reached the edge of the woods just outside the town. It continued through the woods, past a barbed fence with a sign.

"Up in the mountains?" Yusuke scowled at the trees.

Sayomi walked up to the fence and read the sign. "Private property. Beware of guard dogs! Should we be worried?"

"Nah!" Yusuke followed the path into the woods with his hands stuffed into his pockets. "Dogs aren't anything to be worried about. They might scare off villagers, but they're not much of a threat for us."

"Ah, okay." Sayomi kept her senses alert for anything dangerous. _Better to be safe than sorry._

About 15 minutes later, Yusuke stopped and looked down. "What the hey? Weird, unearthly bones..."

Sayomi stepped forward to get a look. "Can dogs kill demons, Yusuke?"

"Not any dogs that _I_ know of." Yusuke looked up at the trees, searching for whatever was responsible.

Sayomi followed his example. _There're two sources of bloodlust in the air. They're coming from..._ She looked up as two shadows shot out from the trees.

Yusuke and Sayomi quickly jumped out of the way. The two figures landed with hard stomps that cracked the ground.

 _If we hadn't dodged, that could've been our heads._ Sayomi glared at the two children who stood ready to fight. Then she arched her brow in confusion. _Wait..._

" _Kids?!"_ Yusuke yelled, just as surprised.

There was a boy and a girl with long brown hair. The boy had spiked bangs with the rest of his hair tied back. The girl let her bangs hang free while the rest was tied as a bow on her head. They wore yellow jackets with jeans and sneakers. The boy wore a red shirt while the girl favored green.

The young boy glared and ground his teeth. "Stop harassing Mom, you _demon reject!"_

"You're _beneath_ Mom's contempt!" The girl shouted.

Sayomi blinked and asked, "Are they the ones who killed those demons?"

Yusuke glared down at them and said, "C'mon now, kids... Go play somewhere else."

" _Let's get 'em!"_ The kids dashed forward and started punching.

The boy attacked Yusuke while the girl attacked Sayomi. Yusuke blocked the boy's punches with a single finger. Sayomi dodged the girl's punches just enough so she missed her target.

After a couple minutes, Yusuke put his hands in his pockets and just dodged the boy's fists. Then he jumped and used his finger to push off the boy's head. Sayomi took that chance to jump over the boy. The girl quickly followed with a kick. " _Yah!"_

" _Hyuh!"_ The boy was stunned as his sister kicked his face. He rubbed his injury and groaned. "Oww..."

"Oops! Aw geez!" The girl glared up at Yusuke and Sayomi who looked down at them from a tree branch.

Yusuke made a goofy face and waved his hands to taunt them. "Whatcha waitin' for? C'mon and _get us!"_

"You don't have to rub it in, do you?" Sayomi scowled at Yusuke's childish behavior. _I know they're kids, but even Rinku was strong for his age. Not to mention the gaming brat._

"You're teasing us!" The girl growled.

"Now we'll get _serious!"_ The boy warned.

"Good job, Yusuke..." Sayomi glared at the teen.

The kids held their hands out between them and started to channel their aura. A large white sphere of aura started growing bigger and brighter between them.

"Eh?!" Yusuke watched as their aura mixed and grew stronger.

" _Kaisei! Fubuki! Stop that this instant!"_

Sayomi and Yusuke froze as a woman's voice echoed through the trees. The kids instantly relinquished their aura and turned to the source of the command.

" _Mom!"_ The boy's eyes widened with surprise.

" _We stopped! See?!"_ The girl raised her hand high to prove it.

Realizing the kids were done attacking, Yusuke and Sayomi jumped down from the tree. When Sayomi landed, she looked up and gasped. _Mother...?_

"You must be Yusuke and Sayomi." The woman stood tall with long black hair tied back in a ponytail and warm gray eyes. She wore a long-sleeved black shirt with jeans and sneakers.

"And you're Kuroko?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes." Kuroko smiled. "Master Genkai called ahead."

Sayomi let out a slow breath and flexed her hands. _Right... The first Underworld Detective. She just looks so much like..._ A mental image of her mother's last smile flashed through her mind. _But she's not... She's human._

As Kuroko led the way to her house, she said, "I taught these two to deal with any demonic aura they sense. But once they get to know you, they'll let you pass unhindered."

Yusuke scowled and pointed back to the entrance. "Then that stuff about 'dogs'..."

Kuroko laughed and said, "Sounds better than 'Beware of kids!'"

"And those bones...?" Yusuke asked.

"Demon remains, I expect," Kuroko answered casually.

Yusuke glared down at Sayomi. When she felt his stare, she arched her brow at him. _I won't say I told you so._

It was nightfall by the time they reached Kuroko's house. Her husband greeted them at the door with a smile. "Good evening. My name is Shogo Sato. I am a writer and Kuroko's husband."

Shogo led the way to the living room as Yusuke and Sayomi introduced themselves. He left the room just as a kettle whistled from the kitchen.

"'Yusuke Urameshi' and 'Sayomi'?!" The young boy laughed.

"Weird names!" The girl teased.

Yusuke glared and pointed at the kids. "And what're your names?!"

"Tea?" Shogo came back to the living room with a tray of drinks.

Sayomi smiled and accepted a glass. "Thanks."

"Introduce yourselves, kids," Kuroko ordered.

The young boy stood up straight and said, "Kaisei Sanada, nine years old! I love TV!"

The young girl mimicked her brother and said, "Fubuki Sanada, eight years old! I love Masato Hagiwara!"

"Sanada? Not Sato?" Yusuke asked.

"Sanada's way cooler!" Fubuki answered.

Kaisei clasped his hands behind his head and frowned. "Sato's _so_ common!"

"Dad should change his name! It's too sweet," Fubuki explained.

"Like sugar?" Sayomi asked as she drank her tea.

As Shogo cried crocodile tears, Kuroko laughed and patted his back. Sayomi couldn't look away from the woman for more than a moment at a time. _She seems to really enjoy her life right now. She has a mate, children, a home... They all look so happy together. Is this what a family is supposed to be like?_

Her eyes wandered to the young siblings and saw herself and Yasuhiro. _If Mother had lived, could we have been this happy?_

"Hey, Sai! Come look at this!"

Sayomi snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Yusuke. He was grinning and pointing down at a book in his lap. With her curiosity piqued, she looked over Yusuke's shoulder. She blinked, trying to figure out who she was looking at.

Yusuke pointed down at the heavyset girl in a school uniform. She had short black hair and she smiled between her four friends. Yusuke stared up at Kuroko with skepticism. "This... is _you?_ The middle girl?"

Sayomi's eyes widened as she compared the girl in the picture with the woman sitting before her. _I gotta admit that wasn't my first guess..._

Kuroko laughed and said, "Uh-huh... I was just fourteen then. In the three years I was a detective I grew over a foot without gaining an ounce. The girl on the right was my best friend."

Sayomi looked down and arched her brow. The girl on the right wore a long black coat with a white doctor's mask. Half of her bleached hair was shaved. _Was this her team?_

" _I'll_ be a detective in 5 years!" Kaisei declared.

"Sure you will, you wuss." Fubuki stared at her brother doubtfully.

Kuroko stood up and asked, "Care for some coffee?"

"Wouldn't say no." Yusuke smiled.

"I'll take some if it's not too bitter," Sayomi said.

" _We want coffee too!"_ The siblings cheered with their hands raised.

"Geez, I didn't have my first coffee till I was ten." Yusuke stared at the kids with wide eyes.

"They like you and want to do what you do," Kuro explained.

"Awww!" Sayomi smiled and poked Yusuke's head. "You're just great with kids, aren't you?"

"Oh, shut it!" Yusuke snapped.

Once everyone had their coffee, Fubuki glared and pointed at Yusuke. "Willya show me your killing move, Yusuke?"

"Naw..." Yusuke grinned. "You're too young."

Yusuke almost dropped his cup when Kaisei started snuggling up to him. "I'll never forget that night, boy!"

Yusuke glared while Sayomi laughed at his predicament. He pointed down at the boy and turned his glare on Kuroko. "Did _you_ teach them this stuff?"

"Well... Yeah." Kuroko smiled.

About an hour later, the kids were asleep in their bed upstairs. Sayomi smiled as she imagined their mother tucking them in. Then her attention was brought back to their reason for coming.

As Kuroko took a drink of her tea, Yusuke asked, "So you quit when you got married?"

"That's right." Kuroko nodded. "I met Shinobu just before that."

Yusuke and Sayomi exchanged identical looks of surprise.

Kuroko rested her chin in her palm as she thought back. "I knew right away how powerful he was... and how fragile, as well. But you seem to be okay. You'd probably go a good ten years on the job."

"Except I've been fired," Yusuke said bluntly.

Kuroko smiled and turned to her husband. "Will you read his fortune, Shogo? I'm sure it will be informative."

"Okay." Shogo reached out with an open palm. "Let me see your hand, Yusuke..."

 _A fortune teller?_ Sayomi watched as he studied Yusuke's palm. _Is he a psychic like Kuwabara?_

"You are content with life, but..." Shogo's expression became serious as he told Yusuke his fortune. "You have an itch for danger that you always need to scratch."

Yusuke smirked. "So far, so good."

"You might try to look for trouble, but it's best that you don't." Shogo smiled. "It would be wasted effort, because danger will always find you."

Sayomi froze when she picked up three familiar aura signatures. _Oh no... Why are_ they _here?_

Kuroko and Yusuke immediately picked up on the intruders. Yusuke eyed the door and asked, "You expecting anyone this late?"

"No..." Shogo watched the door, on edge despite his lack of awareness. "I have a meeting with my editor tomorrow, but..."

" _Ding Dong."_

In an instant, three bald men in monks' robes stood in front of the door. The monk in the middle scowled and said, "Good evening."

Kuroko stepped forward. "And you are...?"

"None of your business. We –"

"Hush, To-Oh!" The middle monk warned his partner to his left.

"His name is Hokushin," Sayomi said from beside Yusuke. "The quiet one is Seitei. And you already met To-Oh."

"You know these guys?" Yusuke asked, keeping his eyes on the intruders.

"Unfortunately..." Sayomi muttered

Hokushin glanced at Sayomi briefly, then looked at Kuroko and said, "My apologies. We haven't much time. We're here to see Yusuke and Sayomi..."

Sayomi glared at her old teacher when she heard her name. _I knew it. I'm in trouble._

"How'd you know they were here?" Kuroko asked.

"We tracked their aura," Hokushin answered. "We've come here from the Demon Plane."

"Interesting... and rather bold." Yusuke stepped forward to talk to the monks directly. "I sense no demonic aura from you three."

"Heh..."

"Now don't be rude, To-Oh," Hokushin scolded.

"Care to fill us in?" Yusuke asked.

"By Underworld ranking, my two companions are Class-A, while I am Class-S," Hokushin answered calmly.

"No way!" Yusuke glared. "Classes -A and –S could only enter the Human World through the portal that we helped close. And no one came through it."

Sayomi bit her lip as she remembered that her brother had slipped through.

Hokushin raised his hand. "We didn't come here by that route, or any like it. There are less obvious ways."

"What?" Yusuke stared at the monk in disbelief.

"What's all this stuff you're talking about?" Kuroko asked.

Yusuke explained what had happened with Sensui and his plan to open the tunnel between worlds. When he finished, Kuroko did her best to wrap her head around the case. "Holes to the Demon Plane, Class-S demons... that's all new to me." She sighed. "Guess a lot's changed since I retired twelve years ago."

"So how _did_ you get here?" Yusuke asked.

Hokushin started to undo his robe as he explained. "The Underworld was so spooked about Class-A and –S demons that they deployed a hastily devised force field to pen them. It was effective enough, but as you know, it allowed any demon of Class-D and under to pass through. That is why we were able to send Sayomi to the Human World. So the trick is to enable us to pass for Class-D."

When Hokushin opened his shirt, there was a large red organ attached to his chest.

"Eesh!" Yusuke reeled with disgust. "That's pretty _gross!"_

Sayomi's eyes widened when she saw the parasite. "I'm glad I didn't need one to come here..." _It almost looks like Ichigaki's work._

"It's an organic device that all but nullifies our power," Hokushin explained. "We must wear them until we return to the Demon Plane. There are other ways to get here, but our laws forbid their use. When we must come to the Human World, these devices allow us to do so for a brief time."

Sayomi scowled. _That's gotta be the first time I'm feeling grateful for being so weak back then._

As Hokushin fixed his clothes, Yusuke asked, "So you've come here to see me, why?"

"Did Sayomi not tell you?" Hokushin glanced at the demoness before looking back at Yusuke. "There's someone who would like you to return with us. That someone is your true father."

Yusuke glared at the monk. "Y'mean the demon with the throwback thing?"

"That's right." Hokushin nodded.

Yusuke's eyes narrowed as he remembered the fight. "Sai told me about him. Shogo's right, trouble finds me real easy. So my _demon dad's_ still _alive?!"_

"Very much alive," the monk said.

"And still _strong?"_ Yusuke asked.

"Of course."

"Fine!" Yusuke ground his teeth and clenched his fist. "Take me to him! _Now!_ I've got a few things to _say_ to that geezer!"

"Patience, please," Seitei said quietly. "There's more we need to tell you. As we said, our laws are strict about travel between the Human World and the Demon Plane. You are no more exempt from them than we are. If you choose to come with us, it must be with the understanding that you intend to join us."

"Join you?" Yusuke asked.

"Become a denizen of the Demon Plane. We're not allowed to bring back outsiders," Seitei explained.

"Is that another Demon Plane law?" Yusuke asked.

"It's the law of our country..." Hokushin answered. "Which is one of many in the Demon Plane. The Demon Plane as such is indeed lawless, and that is its ideal state. But various groups have naturally settled into their own territories and imposed their own rules. However, a great change is coming to all the realms. Three demons are embroiled in a conflict that threatens to engulf the entire Demon Plane."

"Is one of them... my dad?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes." Hokushin nodded. "He and the others each have enough power to rule the Demon Plane. But frankly they don't get along. For instance, they have distinctly different ideas about food. Human energy is the staple sustenance of all three..."

Sayomi and the others stared at the monk, listening carefully.

"...But one of them is of the opinion that this is not necessary or desirable. Another craves human flesh, but believes in practicing moderation. This isn't always easy, as you might imagine. The third believes it's perfectly fine to gorge on humans. There are so many of them, he says, and they breed like rats. This is just one matter on which they can't agree. They are equal in power, however, so a precarious balance has been kept. If one ever struck at another, the third would simply hold back and attack the survivor. This state of affairs has been maintained for 500 years."

"Five hundred years?! That's wild!" Yusuke cringed at the large number.

"Indeed," Hokushin agreed. "If they have one thing in common, it's patience. But that balance is about to be upset. The one who will not devour humans is on the brink of death. His name is Raizen, and he rules our country. This same Raizen is your true father."

Yusuke glared at Hokushin.

Hokushin continued, unfazed. "He hasn't eaten for nearly 1000 years, and is about to succumb to starvation. I admit I don't understand why he has chosen to do this. But I assure you... his will is our will. We stand by him."

Yusuke jerked his thumb at himself. "So what do you want from me?"

"When Raizen dies, it will be entirely up to us to defend our country. But we're not strong enough. We need any ally we can get. The king knows you've entered the Demon Plane before." Hokushin's eyes shifted to Sayomi.

"Yeah, which didn't exactly warm me up to him!" Yusuke yelled.

"He was not sure at that time what you might amount to, though he sensed a certain potential," Hokushin explained.

"Then what you're telling me..." Yusuke said slowly.

"Yes?" Hokushin urged Yusuke to continue.

"Is that your ship's sunk and you've been cast adrift. Now you're grasping at straws to keep from going under."

"That is about the size of it," Hokushin allowed. "My power is trifling next to the king's and the other two demons. At present that is how you stand next to me. We ask you to come to the Demon Plane to train."

Sayomi listened quietly as Yusuke spoke with her teacher about the old man. _They didn't waste any time telling him everything. If the old man knew Yusuke was there, then he knows I was there too. If he sent them, then that probably means he can't wait anymore._

A moment of silence passed as Yusuke watched the three monks. Then he said, "Something's fishy here, but I can't think what. How can I be sure that any of this is the truth? And the answer is, I can't. However..." Yusuke smirked. "I can find out if you're actually stronger than me."

Hokushin scowled. "You would like to test me?"

"You got it," Yusuke confirmed.

"Not inside the house, please," Kuroko said. "Go outside."

"After you." Yusuke waited for the monks to walk out first.

Sayomi followed behind Yusuke. Before she shut the door, she turned to Kuroko and Shogo with a bow. "Sorry about all of this."

They walked just a little way from the house. The area was generally the size of a large front yard. When Yusuke turned to face Hokushin, he hesitated. "But that thing limits you. You'd fight me while you're only Class-D?"

Hokushin stood across the small field, staring at Yusuke. "As I said, I must wear it until I return to the Demon Plane. But Class-D power will serve me well enough."

Yusuke glared dangerously at his opponent. "This is no game. I'll show no mercy."

"Exactly so," Hokushin agreed easily. "Enemies should have no other objective. At my current level, one blow from you will annihilate me. If such a blow were to land, that is."

Yusuke's glare darkened.

Hokushin smirked. "Power is one thing, but ability is another." He punched the tree directly to his right. The impact caused the tree to shed leaves from its branches.

Yusuke blinked curiously as Hokushin removed and tossed his outer robe to the side. He got into a fighting stance and said, "Let's go. This match will be over before all these leaves hit the ground."

"Yeah, whatever." Yusuke ground his teeth angrily. "Just _bring it!"_

" _Rrr... Shah!"_ Hokushin dashed straight for Yusuke.

Yusuke's eye twitched at the monk's slow speed. "Either way, he's dead! _Take this!"_

Yusuke threw a right cross and gasped. Hokushin's head twisted and stretched out of the way of Yusuke's fist.

In his twisted state, Hokushin smirked. "I am, as you see, quite flexible. I can stretch my hand out to grab a rock twelve miles away."

" _Rarr!"_ Yusuke clenched his teeth as he grabbed the monk's neck and tried to pull him apart and strangle him. However, Hokushin only stretched and twisted more around Yusuke's arms and over his head. " _Graah!"_

"Forget it," Hokushin advised. "I'll just keep stretching." He reached into a hidden pocket in his shirt and pulled out a knife. Before Yusuke could react, the monk stretched his arm and struck him with the weapon. Yusuke glared as the last leaf fell to the ground.

Hokushin smirked and untangled himself from Yusuke. "If I were at Class –S power..." He pulled back the knife and pulled a string of tiny flags from the tip. "I'd have easily strangled you. This jest will have to do for now. Call it a psychological win." In a puff of white smoke, the knife turned into a rose. "I set a time limit, demonstrated my ability, and tricked you into thinking you'd lost. What do you think?"

Yusuke stared at Hokushin, obviously annoyed.

Sayomi arched her brow curiously. _Did that all go over his head or is he just pissed off that he lost?_

"Not satisfied?" Hokushin asked.

" _No!"_ Yusuke yelled.

"Then you really have no choice. Come to the Demon Plane, where I can take this limiter off..." Hokushin smirked. "And hand you your head in a basket."

"Hmph! As if!" Yusuke scoffed. "I'm not buying your con."

"Con? Do I smell sour grapes?" Hokushin asked.

"Not the fight!" Yusuke pointed at the monk. "This so-called _mission_ you're on! Something about what you said sounded off, and I've finally figured out what it is."

 _But he was telling the truth... wasn't he?_ Sayomi stared at Yusuke, but snuck glances at Hokushin to see his reaction. _What did he figure out?_

Yusuke glared and slipped his hands into his pockets. "According to you, King Raizen, my dad, is a human-eating demon. He needs the energy of humans to survive. Now he's dying because he decided 1000 years ago, for reason unknown even to you, to remove humans from his diet. And you say you've gone along with this." Yusuke pulled his right hand from his pocket.

"That's right," Hokushin confirmed. "What's your point?"

Yusuke smirked and aimed his trigger finger at the monk. "So why are _you_ still eating humans?"

 _What...?_ Sayomi looked at her old teacher in disbelief.

"Well? I'm waiting." Yusuke smirked.

Hokushin returned it. "How did you know?"

Yusuke dropped his smirk and glared at him. "I once fought an eater of human souls. Your breath smells like his, so it seemed a good bet. Whatever you're really up to... be aware that I hate anyone trying to sucker me. So come clean, or..." He took a step forward.

Hokushin raised his hands in surrender. "All right, all right, I'll explain everything."

Yusuke didn't give him the chance. He dashed forward and hit the monk in the face with a strong right cross. The force of the blow sent Hokushin skidding backwards as his head twisted around several times.

Sayomi's jaw dropped at the sudden move. Then she grinned. _I've never seen him take a hit like that before!_

Seitei and To-Oh seemed just as surprised by Yusuke's attack.

Yusuke clenched his fist and said, "That's just to put you on notice. Next time, if I don't like what I hear, you're dead."

"I must say, I didn't see that coming. You're fast, and your intentions are hard to read." Hokushin quickly unwound his head. "I haven't given you the whole truth because we thought you wouldn't understand the basis of our fellowship."

Yusuke stuffed his hands into his pockets. "What I figure is it's not about diet. I know about demon cravings, and what you eat is a matter of individual choice. What really binds you guys as a group, a country, has to be something a lot more important. So save yourself some trouble and level with me."

"Heh... Seems I misjudged you." Hokushin smirked.

Yusuke waved off his comment. "There are two opposing demons that still feed on humans, but I get that you have your reasons for siding with the fasting king. You could've just said that to begin with, y'know."

Hokushin stared at Yusuke. "You are King Raizen's son. You think like him. As for that bond... it's because King Raizen is someone like you."

Yusuke blinked, confused by the monk's comparison.

Hokushin smiled. "It fulfills me to fight for him instead of the others. My ultimate goal is to stop feeding on humans as well. There are... alternatives. But right now my comrades and I can't afford to become weak."

"Why do you want to fight the other two demons?" Yusuke asked.

As Hokushin shrugged back into his robes, he said, "Because the king doesn't like them. And what the king doesn't like, I don't like."

"Makes sense," Yusuke muttered.

"Yes it does," Hokushin agreed bluntly. Then he turned to leave with his companions. "I really hope you'll agree to meet King Raizen. We'll return in a week. Give us your answer then. I imagine you've already decided, but you have things to take care of. Sayomi, I expect you to be there with him."

Yusuke and Sayomi watched them until they disappeared in the woods. Sayomi let out a sigh. _I guess I have no choice now._

"Yusuke..."

Yusuke and Sayomi turned to see the former Underworld Detective standing behind them with one arm holding onto the other.

"Kuroko?" Yusuke looked at her worriedly. "What's wrong? You look upset."

"It's probably best that you go to the Demon Plane," she said firmly.

 _But I thought..._ Sayomi looked at the older woman, unable to understand her sudden change in character. _I thought she liked Yusuke..._

Kuroko kept her eyes on Yusuke and said, "You talked matter-of-factly with a demon about his human 'diet.' Your humanity seems to be, well, fading."

Sayomi flinched at Kuroko's choice of words.

"You... may be right," Yusuke said quietly.

"I wasn't going to tell you, but the Underworld got in touch with me..." Kuroko looked down at her feet. "With an order to kill Yusuke Urameshi!" She looked back up at him. "I declined to accept it, and then I called Master Genkai. She told me I'd done the right thing. And I was feeling okay about it, at least... until a minute ago. Now you scare me."

When Sayomi caught a glimpse of Yusuke's sad expression, she looked up to see Kuroko with no trace of anger or hatred. _She likes him, but..._

"Master Genkai may trust you, but I can't. You may face my kids one day and... well..." Kuroko squeezed her arm, uncomfortable with the situation. "I wanted to help you, but I don't... have the strength. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Yusuke smiled at her. "And let me just say... thanks."

Before he could leave with Sayomi, Shogo came outside and called out, "Yusuke, a minute?"

Yusuke stopped and turned to face the man.

Shogo stood next to Kuroko and said, "I saw something earlier, but how to tell you...? Anyway, I saw a great parting in your future... between you and trusted comrades."

"I see." Yusuke turned back to the forest and waved over his shoulder. "Thanks for the heads up. Let's go, Sai."

Sayomi silently followed him back down the mountain. _A great parting? I know it was inevitable, but it all happened so fast. I guess this means my debt will be paid off sooner than I expected. I just hope Yusuke will be okay leaving everything behind._


	52. Chapter 52

Sayomi wandered around downtown while Yusuke went to the arcade. When he said he wanted to play games one last time, she decided to leave him alone and spend her last day in the Human World her way. _Knowing him, he's really going to spend time with Keiko. The least I can do is give them some privacy._

It didn't take her too long to reach the local park. She made her way through the greenery until she found a secluded enough spot. Sayomi smiled as she sat down and closed her eyes. She easily fell into her deep breathing cycles as she listened to the sounds of nature.

Within minutes, she was in the Void. She laid on her back with her hands behind her head and stared up into the abyss. "This isn't really as scary as it used to be. It's actually very peaceful. It only sucks when people show up uninvited."

She waited a moment as her voice was swallowed by silence. A couple minutes went by before she decided it was okay to relax. "So I guess I'm gonna enjoy this without any interruptions." She sighed and smiled. "That's actually a relief. I could use some privacy every once in a while. Especially now."

The faces of the three monks flashed through her memory. She scowled and said, "I suppose it makes sense that they would show up. I had the perfect chance to complete the mission... and I ignored it completely."

Sayomi sat up and crossed her arms and legs. "I know I should've spoken up about it sooner, but..." She remembered how eager Yusuke was to go back to the Demon Plane. "If I had spoken up about it then, where would I be now? With Yasuhiro? Or..."

A certain swordsman came to mind.

Her body warmed as she thought about his suggestion to stay with him. "But if I go with him... Yasuhiro wouldn't allow it. He seems to really hate Hiei and the others." She scowled. "Is it just because they're associated with the Underworld or are there other reasons? Either way, that all depends on whether the old man lets me leave or not. I did kinda break our agreement."

Sayomi sighed. "So I guess when Yusuke goes to the Demon Plane, Hiei will most likely take that chance to go back, too. Kurama and Kuwabara will probably stay in the Human World. I wouldn't call it a great parting, but it sure feels like one.

"So what should I do today? If it's our last day here, shouldn't we take advantage of it and spend it together?" Sayomi tried to think of something they could all enjoy, but nothing came to mind besides training.

"I'm sure Kurama is enjoying his time with his family and Kuwabara wouldn't train with me. I'm not gonna interrupt Yusuke and Keiko either. So I guess that means Hiei is the only one." Sayomi smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I need to tell him what's going on anyways. I don't know how he'll take it, but I can't keep it a secret if he's able to go back, too.

"Knowing Hiei, he wouldn't want to come to the old man's territory. He'd want to go off on his own. But if he asks me to come with him..." Sayomi couldn't bring herself to come to a decision so soon.

"If Hokushin expects me to come too, then that probably means the old man is asking for me. Perhaps I could rendezvous with Hiei afterwards, but what if he decides to keep me in his territory for not bringing Yusuke right away? Or if Yasuhiro shows up?"

Sayomi turned around, keeping an eye out for any sudden visits. Just thinking of her brother was enough to put her on edge. When there was no sign of him, she let out a slow breath. "Maybe I should calm down. He hasn't shown up at all since that last time."

She practiced her deep breathing exercises until she was calm again. "Once he shows up, what should I do? I doubt I'm strong enough to fight him right now. Perhaps I should give him a chance to explain before I pass judgement. But then if I go with Yasuhiro, will I ever get to see any of them again?"

As the warm smiles of her friends came to mind, Sayomi felt her chest tighten with longing. She respected Yusuke's open-minded view and his overall fun personality. She admired Kurama's self-control and his devotion to protect the ones important to him. Kuwabara's sense of right and wrong coupled with his stubborn refusal to back down from a fight both aggravated her and inspired her to be a better person.

When Hiei crossed her mind again, she couldn't help but smile. "Even though he can be a stubborn jerk sometimes, he knows just how to push me forward. I may not always like or agree with what he says or does, but he usually seems to be there when needed most. Although I would miss Yusuke and the others, I think I would miss Hiei the most because I wouldn't be able to find him as easily. Speaking of which, I should probably try looking for him now so I can let him know that we'll be leaving tomorrow."

Once she had regained her composure, she opened her physical eyes. She flinched when she saw Hiei sitting in front of her with his eyes closed. She let out a shaky breath as she tried to relax. _Guess I don't need to worry about looking for him..._

"So you're done meditating for the day?" Hiei asked. He kept his eyes closed and his body still.

"Yeah." Sayomi looked down at the grass. "It was pleasantly uneventful."

Hiei opened his eyes and saw Sayomi's smile. He scowled and cupped her chin to lift her head. "What's wrong?"

Sayomi looked at him and she could feel the warmth spread from the point of contact. Unable to look away from his eyes, Sayomi explained her and Yusuke's visit to Genkai and Kuroko. As she spoke, Hiei let her go. His eyes betrayed no emotional reaction to her story and it made her nervous.

When she finished, Hiei asked. "So when are you leaving for the Demon Plane?"

"Tomorrow." Sayomi could almost feel the hours counting down until they had to leave.

"So you owed your debt to one of those three, huh? I see why you would keep that information close to the chest."

"Yeah." Sayomi nodded. "Hopefully it won't take too long before I can leave his territory."

"And where do you plan to go afterwards?"

Sayomi shrugged and said, "I'm still not really sure about afterwards. My brother will probably track me down as soon as I step foot in the Demon Plane. If that happens, then I guess I'll see what he has to say. After that, I don't know where else to go."

"So if I had a place, would you meet me there?" Hiei asked.

"Are you saying you have a place to go back to in the Demon Plane?" Sayomi asked as she leaned forward slightly.

"Perhaps." Hiei reached into his pocket and pulled out a glass sphere. He tossed it in the air and caught it again. "I had my own visitors not too long ago."

"You did?" Sayomi blinked. "Who?"

Hiei smirked down at his reflection in the sphere. "Mukuro."

Sayomi's eyes widened when she heard the name of one of the other kings. _The old man always described Mukuro as a blood-thirsty tyrant. And if Hiei joins Mukuro, that means he'll have to fight Yusuke in a war._

"Are you gonna join?" Sayomi asked.

"I don't know. I won't decide until after I hear the message."

"You haven't heard it, yet?" Sayomi arched her brow curiously.

"No." Hiei slipped the sphere back into his pocket and looked at her. "I was hoping you would come talk first."

"Oh..." Sayomi smiled half-heartedly. "So you're gonna listen to it now?"

"Not yet. We still have time." Hiei stood up and extended his hand.

Sayomi accepted his help and pulled herself to her feet. "Time for what?"

Hiei smirked. "When was the last time we sparred?"

"Hmm... I guess that would be around the Dark Tournament," Sayomi answered.

"And when do you think we'll get to spar again?" Hiei asked.

"Who knows?" Sayomi shrugged. "Are you saying you want to go a round? Won't the Underworld notice if we do?"

"Only if we use our aura," Hiei said.

Sayomi blushed as Hiei removed his cloak and shirt before drawing his sword. She tried to ignore his toned muscles as she discarded her own cloak and reached for her kusarigama. In an instant, they both rushed each other.

Hiei attacked with his sword while Sayomi blocked with her sickle. Whenever she would block, he would disappear and attack from a different angle. Sayomi smirked as she fell into familiar tactics with the swordsman.

Once Sayomi blocked another strike, Hiei parried and punched her in the stomach. Sayomi coughed as the blow knocked her back. She clutched her stomach and spit out the blood in her mouth. When she looked up at Hiei, he was already closing in with his sword.

Sayomi spilled the chain from her weapon and used it to catch his blade in the chain links. Then she wrapped the rest of his sword with her chain and pulled it out of his hand.

Hiei frowned and disappeared again.

Sayomi freed his sword from her chain and wielded it along with her sickle. She scanned her surroundings, searching for any sign of movement or aura. She jumped forward and turned, swinging Hiei's sword.

Hiei dodged her attack. He closed in, knocking the sword out of the way. Sayomi gritted her teeth as she dropped the weapon. Before Hiei could attack, she pivoted on her foot until she was out of his path.

She struck his back with the pommel of her scythe. Hiei grunted and turned to swing a kick. Sayomi barely had enough time to block. The attack sent her skidding back until Hiei appeared behind her and swept her legs out from under her.

She fell hard on her back. When she opened her eyes, she saw Hiei's fist. He knelt over her, ready to punch as soon as she moved to sit up. His knee pinned down her arm holding the sickle.

Sayomi sighed. "Fine. You win."

Hiei smirked and got to his feet. His fist opened, offering his hand to pull her up. When she accepted his help, she smiled and said, "Thanks."

Hiei stared at her and tugged on her hand, pulling her forward. Her eyes widened as she almost stumbled into him. _What the—?_

Hiei held her wrist up to graze his nose along her skin, taking in her scent. He looked at her through his lashes and asked, "What do I win?"

Sayomi's breath hitched at the look in his eyes. He looked like a predator cornering his prey. She swallowed the lump in her throat and asked, "W-what do you want?"

"What do you have?" Hiei countered.

When she tried to pull away, she felt her back press against a tree. He gave her no room for escape. She struggled to think of a response. "I don't... I only have my word."

Hiei frowned. "You don't have the best track record for keeping it."

 _Damn. He's not wrong._ Sayomi bit her lip nervously. _What else could I give him? Wait... "_ Since when did you start asking for prizes?"

"Based on your explanation, I expect you'll be busy for a while. First with the king, then with your brother. Whether I accept Mukuro's offer or not depends on other factors." Hiei's gaze traveled to the mark on her neck. "Since we won't have another sparring session for a while, I want something that will make me look forward to our next encounter."

Sayomi did her best to ignore the look he was giving her as she said, "Then how about you wait till then to get your prize?"

Hiei tilted his head curiously. "Oh?"

Sayomi took a slow breath before she answered. "I obviously can't give you anything now, but maybe later. It'll give you something to look forward to and it'll give me a reason to come looking for you when I finish my business. Is that fair?"

Hiei stared at her, weighing his options between an immediate prize or something better in the future. "Then we have a deal."

As soon as he stepped away, Sayomi let out a sigh of relief. She could feel the cool breeze against her hot skin and she welcomed the feeling. _That was close. Just what was he trying to get from me?_

Hiei retrieved his sword and clothes before he addressed Sayomi again. "I'll keep an eye open for your arrival. Until then, just make sure you survive long enough to pay up."

"Yeah, I'll do my best." Sayomi tucked away her sickle and went to put on her cloak. "So are you gonna listen to the message?"

"Not yet," Hiei said. "First, let's make our own visit to the fox."

"Kurama? You think he's had a visitor too?" Sayomi followed him out of the park.

"It's only a guess," Hiei answered. "Based on the fact that your king has sent his men to collect Yusuke and Mukuro sent his own messengers to me."

"He's not really my king, Hiei. He just helped me out when I needed it and so I owed him. He never treated me like one of his subordinates." Sayomi stuffed her hands into her pockets. "But I guess you have a point. I just can't help but hope that you're wrong."

Sayomi followed Hiei to Kurama's school. Though it was starting to get dark, she noticed there were still some kids lingering in a few rooms. Rather than going inside, Hiei jumped up to the roof. Sayomi followed after him through the shadows around the building.

When they walked up to a door with a sign warning them not to enter, Hiei signaled her to keep quiet. She nodded as she did her best to listen to the voice speaking in the room.

"You remember Raizen and Mukuro, don't you? If you recollect, the Demon Plane was pretty much their diarchy before we were even born." The voice was calm and relaxed, as if speaking with an old friend. "However, a few hundred years ago I achieved parity with them. I wish to take their place and unify the Demon Plane. I'd like your help, Kurama. This will be a demanding project. I'd like the Demon Fox in my corner."

Sayomi could feel her mouth go dry as she heard the third king's plan. _And he knows Kurama?_

"Oh yes..." The voice continued, as if in afterthought. "A century ago I found the demon who robbed me of my sight. I've kept it alive so you could meet him. I think you'd find the experience quite amusing."

Once sure the message was over, Hiei opened the door. "An old friend?"

"Yes," Kurama answered with a smile. Then he snapped his attention up the short flight of stairs at Hiei and Sayomi.

"Heh..." Hiei smirked. "It's not like you to be so distracted that I can sneak up like this."

Sayomi smirked at Hiei's show of pride. _He's just happy he was able to sneak up on Kurama for once._

Hiei pulled the glass sphere from his pocket to show Kurama. "I received a message, too... from good ol' Mukuro. A valuable item, this..." Then he tossed it, letting it smash on the far wall. Ink stained the wall as glass shards fell to the floor.

Sayomi and the former thieves watched as the ink started to move and paint the image of a figure. The demon was wrapped in bandages and talismans with one round eye exposed. His long sleeves were bound together, keeping his hands trapped within. Though it was only a projection, Sayomi could almost feel the tyrant's eye staring through her.

When he spoke, his voice sounded warped, but his tone was light-hearted. "Hello Hiei. I'm Mukuro. Nice to meet you. You'd be amazed how difficult it is to get things done when you're so famous, so I rarely show myself in public."

Sayomi felt her brow arch up at the odd joke. _I didn't expect someone like Mukuro to have a sense of humor._

"To get to the point," Mukuro continued. "I could use someone like you. Will you join my cause? I know you by reputation. I've heard many tales about the 'abhorrent Hiei,' who still enjoys great notoriety in Layer 13 NE. You reached Class-A status five years after birth. What led a genius like you to sink to banditry and then disappear into the Human World? Never mind. With me, you could regain your former glory."

Sayomi's gaze darted to Hiei, who was focused on the king. _Is that true? But that doesn't make sense. He wasn't that powerful when we met._

"Raizen, Yomi and I have been in a three-way deadlock for 500 years, and they would be the first to agree with me that it has gotten very tiresome. What I will now tell you is top secret – Raizen has, for no sane reason, starved himself nearly to the point of expiring."

Sayomi's blood drained from her face. _If he knows... Then does that mean...?_

"Once he's gone, I'll launch a full-scale attack on Yomi. Yomi would force his own rule on the Demon Plane under the pretense of 'unification.' He's very nasty that way. If he approaches you, refuse him. That's the secret to longevity. Go to Raizen only if you're feeling suicidal... Heh heh..." As Mukuro's image began to fade, he said, "Under me, normalcy will return to the Demon plane, as it was in the days before you were even born. Join me, and help make this come to pass."

"Verbose, isn't he," Hiei commented. "The three big deals are on a recruitment drive... checking out the combatants in the most notable clashes in Demon Plane history. This could get interesting. I think I'll go see Mukuro."

Sayomi and Kurama exchanged glances before looking at Hiei.

Hiei smirked. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna sign up. I just want in on the action. It promises to be a protracted conflict and a sure way to get stronger. I'll exploit that for all I can."

As Hiei left, Sayomi was about to follow him.

"Sayomi."

She stopped and turned to Kurama curiously. "Yes?"

The red-head smiled and asked, "Do you have a moment?"

Sayomi nodded and settled on the steps just above him. "I'm listening."

"Based from Yomi's and Mukuro's messages, is it safe to assume King Raizen is Yusuke's ancestor?" Kurama wasted no time beating around the bush.

Sayomi smirked and let out a huff. "Yeah. I knew you guys would figure it out yourselves."

Kurama smiled apologetically. "You're not a very good liar either. You tend to wear your heart on your sleeve."

"Yeah, I know." Sayomi waved off his words. "But I just didn't want to be the source of information, so I tried not to say anything too specific."

"I understand. Your loyalty is unshakable. Which is why I was wondering if you were going to partake in this war or not."

Sayomi stared down at the bottom step for a moment. Then she took a deep breath and looked up at Kurama. "To be honest, I wish none of this was happening. I had a feeling we'd all have to part ways eventually, but not like this."

Kurama nodded and said, "It is unfortunate, but I'm afraid I cannot turn down Yomi's invitation. Truly, the only one who doesn't really need to get involved is Hiei. He doesn't know about Mukuro. He hadn't been born yet. I assume you know about him through King Raizen, correct?"

"Yeah..." Sayomi recalled the image of the bandaged tyrant. "But then again, I've also heard things about Yomi."

Kurama winked and smiled. "Leave Yomi to me. He's asked me to be an advisor. He trusts my intellect, at least. You just focus on your own reasons for taking part, or not taking part if you prefer."

Sayomi's brow arched curiously. "How could I avoid taking part?"

"First let's start with your original goals." Kurama held up a finger. "First, what was your original intention once you got back to the Demon Plane?"

Sayomi explained her plans to Kurama as best as she could. Once she finished, Kurama said, "Your plan is based a lot on the word if. I suggest a more flexible plan that will work for you should your preferred plan not come to pass."

"How do I do that?" Sayomi asked.

As she listened to Kurama, she started to feel a new sense of hope and dread. _If I go through with this, it would allow me to stay out of direct conflict, but it would also mean my death if I fail. But what other choice do I really have?_


	53. Chapter 53

_So here we are, back in the Demon Plane. We've been running for five days to reach the old man's territory._ Sayomi glanced ahead at Hokushin and Seitei. Then she looked at Yusuke who ran just ahead of her. _Probably part of his training._

She used her aura, focused around her feet and legs, to keep from falling behind. Her senses were on high alert for any unfriendly demons. Though she was with other powerful fighters, there was always someone stronger.

 _The Underworld's hunters were surprisingly helpful, though it was interesting to see them open a portal so easily compared to Sensui's grand attempt. Koenma told us that the three demons each sent a message to the Underworld saying this would be the best way to get rid of us, though that was kinda obvious._

Sayomi couldn't help but smirk at Yusuke's back. _He didn't care about the issues between the Underworld and the Demon Plane. He just wanted to make sure the Human World was okay. The night before we left, we all met up at Mater Genkai's temple._ Her smirk slipped into a sad smile. _Koenma and the hunters were already there. Needless to say, Kuwabara wasn't very happy..._

 _Five nights ago..._

" _Have you completely flipped out?!"_ Kuwabara roared. He held Yusuke by the collar of his shirt with his other fist clenched at his side. "Or did you just go back to bein' as stupid as you look? The Demon Plane isn't a video game, y'know! What you're gonna do is _suicide!"_

Kuwabara's anger didn't just target Yusuke. He turned to glare at the new lead hunter with powder blue hair. "And as for _you_ guys – _You're just out to get rid of him!"_

"I won't deny it," the hunter replied easily. "But our orders are to assist him."

Sayomi leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. Hiei stood next to her with his arms in his cloak pockets. Beside him, Kurama sat on the floor with his elbows resting over his knees. When Kuwabara turned his glare on them, Sayomi felt a small pang of sadness.

Kuwabara jabbed an accusing finger at them and asked, "What about _you three?!_ Gonna join the demons who tried to recruit you?!"

"I will," Hiei answered immediately.

Kurama took a moment to think over his answer. "I suppose I will, too. Though not right away."

Sayomi closed her eyes. "The whole reason I came here was to take Yusuke back."

Kuwabara ground his teeth at their answers. His shoulders slumped as he muttered, "So that's how it is, huh? Just another buncha bloodthirsty demons." Then he pointed at each of them and shouted, "The _reasons_ don't matter, just so you can _fight!_ Fine then! The Demon Plane's obviously where you belong!"

"Heh..." Hiei smirked. "At last we can agree."

"Yaargh!" Kuwabara nearly bit off his own tongue with rage.

Sayomi snuck a glance at Hiei. _He's not wrong, but you didn't have to add fuel to the fire._

Without looking her way, Hiei grunted. _He'll get over it._

"Kuwabara," Yusuke called out casually.

" _What?"_ Kuwabara snapped.

When Yusuke threw his arm around Kuwabara's shoulders, they started to talk with hushed voices. Sayomi quirked her brow curiously but decided against listening in. _Whatever it is, they must want to keep it secret. I can let them have that much since they won't see each other for a long time._

 _How long will it take you to return with my prize?_

Sayomi felt a blush blooming on her cheeks and she made it a point to not look at the fire demon. _Do you want an estimated guess? Because I don't really know._

Hiei's gaze shifted to her. _Then I'll give you a deadline. If you're not at Mukuro's fortress in a month, I'll take that as running from our deal._

Sayomi felt her eyes widen at the idea. _You're joking, right? You think Mukuro will let you skip out on your training for something like_ that?

Hiei smirked. _Whether it's allowed or not doesn't matter. This is between you and me. If you can't return with a suitable offer, then I'll have to resort to alternative methods of payment._

Sayomi scowled at the added condition. _No. You accept whatever I give you. If you want something better, then just beat me again. But now that I know we're fighting for prizes, you won't win so easily._

 _I doubt it will require much effort. You haven't won a single match against me. You're only delaying the inevitable._

 _Oh?_ Sayomi's brow arched curiously. _Is there something you're trying to get?_ When he didn't answer, she slid a sideways glance his way. He was glaring over his shoulder at Kuwabara and Yusuke who were still speaking in hushed tones. She arched a curious brow. _Is something wrong?_

 _The fool is getting suspicious._ Hiei said nothing more on the matter as he watched Kuwabara carefully.

She understood when a certain demoness walked into the room with a tray of water and tea leaves. Despite her wintry origin, her smile was warm and genuine. "Would anyone like more tea?"

"Just water for me!" Genkai said.

"Oops!" Yukina looked down at the kettle in surprise. "I let it get cold."

"I'll help warm it up!" Kuwabara volunteered.

"Sure, don't mind us," the hunter behind him said.

"Urameshi..."

Yusuke turned to Kuwabara curiously.

"I understand." Without turning to face him, Kuwabara said, "We've just chosen different paths. Don't you dare get killed on yours, though. Come back so I can gloat about making it to the top of my class. No excuses, got it?"

Sayomi smiled as the boys seemed to reach an agreement of their own. _So return in a month with a worthy prize?_

Hiei's attention redirected to her with an emotion she couldn't identify. _Or I will hunt you down to claim it._

 _Present day..._

 _Now I have another problem..._ Sayomi's jaw set firmly as she ran. _I only have a month and I still don't know what to bring him for -_

"Mr. Urameshi."

Sayomi snapped out of her thoughts as they came to an abrupt stop at the edge of a cliff.

"We're here," Hokushin said, letting Yusuke take in the view.

Sayomi scowled. Beyond the cliff were stone pillars and plateaus. The tallest pillar stood in the center, with a chamber connected near the top by a narrow branch of stone. Low rumbles thundered, sending a subtle tremor through her body from the ground up.

"What's that sound?" Yusuke asked.

"The king's empty stomach," Hokushin answered.

Sayomi's eyes darkened a couple shades as they made their way down a path to the kingdom. _Stubborn old man..._

It only took a couple minutes of sprinting to reach the town. By the time they slowed to a walk, the two monks were out of breath and dripping with sweat. Seitei had to take a moment to stop and catch his breath while Hokushin kept his stern gaze ahead.

"I'm impressed," Hokushin said.

"Huh?" Yusuke asked.

"I was sure I'd have you both eating my dust, but you kept up without breaking a sweat."

Yusuke smirked, accepting the compliment.

Sayomi glanced at Seitei's exhausted state, then shifted her gaze to her teacher. _He's telling the truth. He was seriously trying to lose us. Was he not expecting me to keep up either, then?_

Their stroll through town was a silent one. Though Hokushin was putting up a serious front, Yusuke smiled the whole way.

Sayomi did her best to ignore the eyes of the other monks. They openly watched as they passed through the streets. She kept her eyes forward and her arms crossed. Though she watched for movement in her peripherals, she knew they wouldn't try anything now.

 _I've become their worst fear in the flesh. They were all so adamant about not letting me fight. Now... They're afraid of meeting my eyes. Is this what happens? Once you have enough power, people start to fear you..._ Her hands tightened into fists and relaxed as she took a deep breath. _Because you become the dominant predator._

When they made it to the base of the king's pillar, Hokushin pointed up at the small chamber. "He's waiting for you at the top of the tower."

"Thanks." Yusuke smiled and hefted his bag. "I think I can take it from here."

As Yusuke opened the front door, Sayomi started to follow after him.

"Sayomi."

She stopped and turned to see Hokushin giving her a stern glare. "This meeting is between the king and Yusuke. You will take no part in it."

Sayomi narrowed her eyes as she felt the barest shift in her aura. Before she could give her answer, Yusuke placed his hand on her head. Though her body relaxed, her gaze remained guarded.

Yusuke's eyes fixed on Hokushin as he said, "It's a family meeting. I don't see any issue with her tagging along."

"She is not of the king's blood—"

"Blood's got nothin' to do with it." Yusuke's glare didn't waiver as he walked through the door with Sayomi in tow. "Now just hang tight until we get back. This won't take too long."

Their trek through the tower was silent, but not to the point of being awkward. Sayomi followed the winding hallway for what she hoped was her last time. The stone walls bulged and dipped with occasional luminescent domes. The king's stomach continued to rumble louder than it did outside. As they ascended, she could feel a sense of dread weighing her down. _Just how much longer can the old man hold out?_

At the end of the long hike, they were greeted by two large double doors. Yusuke and Sayomi placed a hand on each door and let themselves in.

The king's chamber looked just like the rest of the castle. Though Sayomi felt it could do without the creepy deformed infants carved into the walls. They were as large as the king's throne with one eye wide open and the other drooping shut. Each expression varied, but the umbilical cords connecting them to the room always made her wonder. _Does he enjoy this creepy atmosphere?_

Her attention was brought back to the king himself as his stomach rumbled again, echoing loud throughout the room. Raizen sat in his throne with his elbows resting over his knees. His eyes gleamed as he smiled. "Hello, son..."

"Don't start." Yusuke fixed a dangerous glare on the old man. "I'm only here to ask why you stuck your nose into my fight with Sensui! What gave you the _right?!"_

Without answering, Raizen pointed his finger at Yusuke. The moment it started to glow red, Yusuke winced in pain. "Ow!"

Raizen smirked. "Get over yourself, kid. I've got you in the palm of my hand. You've got to learn to control your own piddly demonic aura before I'll let you waltz in here and mouth off like that."

Yusuke snapped.

Sayomi sensed the spike in Yusuke's aura and quickly stepped out of the way. She watched as Yusuke charged and tried to land a hit on the old man. Every time, Raizen either deflected it or used his aura to shoot Yusuke down again. She did her best to keep from jumping in to help. _The old man won't kill him, but he's not gonna roll over so easily._

In just a few minutes, the most Yusuke could do was sit against a wall and catch his breath. His clothes were torn and he was covered in bruises. Blood trickled over his eye from his head.

"See?" Raizen asked. "You can't even knock me off my seat."

Yusuke spat out some blood and said, "I hear you're close to death."

"Which should _tell you_ something," Raizen said. "For the record, I'll be dead within a year."

"Heh... Heh heh..." Yusuke chuckled despite his pain. Then he lifted his arm and aimed his trigger finger with a bloody smirk. "Die now."

Raizen's eyes widened at the same time Sayomi vanished within her cloak. When Yusuke fired his Reigun, there was a bright flash and the whole wall behind Raizen was blown away.

Sayomi returned just as the wind blew away the smoke and dust. She gasped when she saw the large hole in the wall behind the old man who stood on his feet.

"Hm..." Raizen smirked as he stalked towards Yusuke. "You step up and go for it. I like that." He crouched down to speak with the boy at eye level. "I usually sleep here, so come over and try to kill me anytime. No need to knock. You're also free to run home or stay on the Demon Plane and train." He jerked his thumb at himself and said, "But if you can't beat a demon near death, you've no chance against Yomi and Mukuro."

"Say..." Yusuke struggled to speak through the pain. "Why _did_ you stop feeding on humans?"

Raizen's smirk grew. "I'll tell you once you're out of diapers."

"Feh!" Yusuke scoffed. "Old fart."

"Sayomi," Raizen called.

The demoness nodded, already knowing what he was going to say. "Right. I got it from here."

Raizen rose from his crouch and took a seat on a small boulder, resting his elbows over his knees. He watched as Sayomi started to heal Yusuke's wounds. "Once she's done patching you up, you can follow Hokushin to the training grounds. Sayomi and I have some things to discuss."

Yusuke glared at his ancestor before looking at Sayomi. "Is that what you want?"

Sayomi nodded. "Yeah, it's okay. I won't try to pick a fight with him like you just did."

"You could at least try," Yusuke mumbled. Once healed, he left the two demons alone to talk.

"I see you've gotten stronger." Raizen jumped straight to the point. "Do you feel capable of surviving on your own?"

Sayomi leaned against a wall and shrugged. "You tell me. If Yusuke's aura is ranked piddly on you power scale, I can only imagine what my ranking would be."

"Heh heh... That's a good point." Raizen chuckled and pointed at her. "If I was to pit you against any of the monks outside, would you be able to beat them?"

Another shrug. "So long as it's not Hokushin... Probably, though I doubt they'll let me try."

"Then I see no reason for you to stick around here any longer. Unless you've changed your mind."

"I haven't." Sayomi looked down at her black nails. Then she met the king's gaze. "To be honest, I was expecting you to make me stay."

"Oh?" Raizen tilted his head. "Why would you think that?"

"Because I didn't bring him back right away." Sayomi clenched her fist and focused on keeping her breathing calm. "You obviously knew, so why are you still letting me go?"

"There are two reasons." Raizen held up two fingers and counted them down. "One: You were under my protection, not a prisoner of war. Two: I never said you had to bring him right away, but time was of the essence. Since you accompanied him here, you fulfilled your end of the deal. I'm only upholding my end by letting you go."

Sayomi bit her lip and looked down at the floor. _So he's really letting me go? That was easy, but it feels... kinda weird. I've been here for so long... and yet... "_ Mind if I ask you something?"

"This might just be our last conversation. You might as well speak your last thoughts."

Sayomi took in a deep breath and asked, "Why are you starving yourself?"

"You want to know?" He asked.

"I've been wondering about since I first got here." She looked at his anorexic physique, amplified by wait remained of his muscles. "You've been getting thinner every time I've come to see you and now you say you only have a year left. I want to know why you think it's worth starving over."

"I supposed you've earned it now that you're leaving the nest." Raizen smirked. "It was almost 700 years ago in an age of chaos and violence. Rogues ran rampant, and the populace lived on the ragged edge of ruin. Back then there was no barrier between the Human World and the Demon Plane. Monsters and goblins involved themselves in many facets of human life. The government even called on us to help repel foreign invasion."

"Whoah..." Sayomi tried to imagine such a time when humans and demons coexisted.

"At that time, I was an ogre eager to devour human flesh until I met a certain pale, gaunt human..." His smirk grew into a genuine smile. "A woman who reeked of shamanic incense. I'd never seen such eyes. Her gaze bore into me..."

Sayomi automatically thought of Hiei's intense stare.

"You've heard of cannibal healers?" Raizen asked.

"Huh?" Sayomi's eyebrow arched. "No. What are those?"

"In those days sickness was thought to be caused by karma and evil spirits. Treatment was left to ascetics and priestesses with the greatest demands placed on cannibal healers. By consuming the rancid flesh of the afflicted, they turned their own blood into powerful and fast-acting antidotes to those same maladies."

Sayomi could feel her mouth hang open in shock and disgust. _That sounds terrible..._

"This woman was one such healer, prominent among esoteric Buddhists," Raizen continued. "Her eyes drew me, and so I casually approached her, intending to slowly consume her. However, she exposed her flesh, offering herself as my last meal. She went on to describe her poisonous body as 'a cesspool of the countless mortal diseases she'd ingested.' She promised I would be dead before the day was out. I did not want to die, but that wasn't all that stopped me. I was in awe."

"So why didn't you just kill her?" Sayomi asked, absorbed in the king's story.

"There would've been no point to it if I just killed her. In her eyes, I was just a mere beast."

"So then what did you do?" She asked.

"I wooed her," Raizen answered with a mischievous smirk. "She'd seized my soul. It took the whole night. I didn't probe into her background, but she did say she wasn't born a shaman. She ate human flesh by choice. By choice! Compared to her I was nothing. I vowed, then and there, to taste no human flesh until we met again—though we made no promises of that sort. She died soon after giving birth."

He paused in his story for a moment. Sayomi waited patiently for him to continue.

"I awaited her reincarnation..." He eventually said. "But such a woman isn't reborn that often. The Demon Plane, Human World, and Underworld are all living realms. Even the Underworld is unsure of the ultimate fate of souls." He looked Sayomi in the eye and asked, "Do you think my son would choose to eat humans?"

"Uh... I highly doubt it." Sayomi couldn't imagine to boy doing such a thing. _Especially after his reaction when he found out about Hokushin._

"And what about you?" He pointed at her. "Would you eat a human if offered the choice?"

"No."

"I see." Raizen's smirk was layered with amusement and another emotion Sayomi couldn't name. "I've come to view demons like me as a transitional phase in evolution. One day, people will come and go freely through all the living realms. We'll just be in the way then."

Again, Sayomi tried to imagine such a thing. _Would that kind of scenario really be possible?_

"At first," Raizen continued, "Mukuro, Yomi, and I fought because we simply didn't like each other. But that dislike burnt out long ago. We now battle for the future. Have you given any thought to where you will go once you leave?"

Sayomi nodded. "I've been thinking about it almost constantly. I know I don't want to stay here, but it's the only place I really know."

"If you're unsure, then I recommend going to Mukuro's territory."

"Mukuro? I thought he was supposed to be a bloodthirsty tyrant."

"Mukuro likes the Demon Plane the way it is and has no designs on the Underworld or the Human World." His eyes narrowed. "But watch out for Yomi. He seeks to conquer all the living realms. If you need somewhere to go, then go to Mukuro."

Sayomi clenched and unclenched her fists. "One more question..." She took a deep breath and met his gaze. "Why did you agree to let me stay here?"

"I always wanted a daughter." Razien grinned when he saw her bewildered expression. "You were barely a kid and you were terrified. The trauma you experienced was enough to keep you running until exhaustion nearly claimed you. When they brought you here, you were malnourished and dehydrated. You flinched at every sudden motion."

Sayomi's eyes reflexively scanned her surroundings. _I don't think Yasuhiro is here..._

"Since I had nothing better to do, I let you stay with me. It didn't take long to figure out what kind of demon you were. You were always lurking in the shadows. I gave them orders to teach you meditation to help you cope. You were a quick study so they let you focus your energy on healing techniques."

"Yeah... I remember." Sayomi's smile was sad and somewhat bitter. "They had me heal their wounds after training sessions and missions."

"It didn't take you long to want to learn how to fight." Raizen smirked.

"They were telling stories about their trips outside the border about battles that they either triumphed or barely survived. It sounded fun compared to what they were having me do."

"Do you recall what happened when they attempted to teach you?"

"Oh..." Sayomi scowled at the floor. "You mean when they started having nightmares?"

"So you remember."

"I remember when it happened, but I don't remember ever doing that to them."

"Not consciously," Raizen amended. "My theory is your aura connected with the men and left traces of residue behind, manifesting into nightmares. It's an advanced technique that you performed subconsciously. You made them suffer their worst fears in such a way that rendered them helpless. That's when they barred you from combat training."

"So why did you encourage me to learn when you sent me off to the Human World?" It was another question that had been troubling her since her markings first started to appear.

"You've matured since then. You also stopped having sleeping fits. Though Hokushin advised against it, I argued that you had a fighter's spirit. I could see it burning in your eyes every time you came up to visit. Once I'm gone, the other monks would no longer need to tolerate your presence. To say he was reluctant is an understatement."

"That's why he gave me the weapon." Sayomi could feel the weight of her sickle across her lower back. "It's come in handy on more than one occasion."

"I'm sure it has." The dying king smiled. "Any more questions while you're still here? Last chance."

"I think that's everything I needed to ask." She straightened up and turned to leave. As she was about to push the door open, she paused and turned to the old man. "Just, do me a favor and take care of Yusuke. He has someone waiting for him back in the Human World and I would hate to be the one to break it to her if anything happened. He's already died twice and I don't know if she could handle a third time."

Raizen smirked knowingly. "I'll keep that in mind."

When Sayomi left the tower, she found Hokushin waiting for her outside. His eyes were as stern as always. _Even if he is second-in-command, he's too stiff._

"Are you ready to go?" He asked.

"Almost. I'd like to see Yusuke one more time before I leave."

"Yusuke is training at the moment. It will take time before he'll be able to see you."

"He'll make the time." Sayomi walked past her teacher to the training grounds. It didn't take her long to spot the boy in the middle of four other fighters. He was absorbed in the match, taking punches and countering with his own. Rather than interrupt, she stood back and enjoyed the show.

About an hour later, Yusuke tapped out for a break. He made his way to Sayomi and ruffled her hair. "You don't look like a train wreck, at least."

"I just know better, Yusuke." She grinned and pushed his arm away. "I just came by to let you know I'm heading out."

"Out where?" Yusuke asked. "You got a date with Hiei or somethin'?"

Sayomi glared at the boy. "Not exactly. More like a family reunion."

"Ah." Yusuke crossed his arms. "You need me to go with you? I know you've gotten stronger, too, but..."

"I'll be fine." Sayomi waved off his worry. "I just wanted to see you one more time before I left."

"Don't you go all mushy on me, Sai. This isn't goodbye. It's just a break to focus on ourselves for a while. Just don't be a stranger and tell Hiei that if he does anything to you, I'll kick his ass."

"Ha ha ha!" Sayomi couldn't help laughing at Yusuke's attempt at being protective. "If I see him, I'll let him know. Just promise me you won't die before the old man."

"The only way the old fart is passing on is through my fist." Yusuke smirked and jerked his thumb at himself. "The next time you see me, I'll be the one calling the shots!"

 _That's what I'm counting on._ Sayomi returned his smirk and said, "And next time you see me, we'll have our own sparring match."

"You know, I just realized we never sparred." He rubbed his chin and grinned. "I'll be looking forward to it!"

After exchanging goodbyes, Hokushin guided Sayomi to the border. As they passed through town, she ignored the hateful glares from the other monks. "Why don't you look at me like them?"

"Hm?" Hokushin looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

Sayomi scowled. "You know _exactly_ what I mean."

Hokushin turned to face ahead as he said, "I'm the one who brought you here. Am I supposed to regret my choice?"

"Are you saying you don't?" Sayomi asked.

"When I found you, your life was in danger," he said. "You were unconscious and cold to the touch, but you were breathing. I had just finished an assignment and was returning to Tourin when I spotted you. When I presented you to King Raizen, he appointed me with the task of teaching you and monitoring your growth."

"Kinda like what he told me to do with Yusuke," Sayomi said.

"Yes, only I trained you in meditation and healing. You became a handful when you wanted to learn to fight. After the incident, no one wanted to spar with you, claiming that you cursed them. I trained with you myself and understood what they were talking about. In a way it is a curse, but you weren't aware that you were doing it."

"What was I doing?" she asked.

"From what I recall, your eyes would change. They became completely black and you were covered with a thin layer of shadow. It was barely noticeable you were doing anything if not for the eyes. When you attacked, your aura mixed with your opponent's. It would start off harmless enough. A couple nightmares here and there. Continued exposure would progress to vivid hallucinations."

Sayomi's fists clenched. She focused on her breathing as they reached the edge of the town and continued through the forest. _It's no wonder they're all so afraid of me..._ "Why aren't you afraid of me, too?"

"Because you weren't doing it on purpose," Hokushin answered. "You were too young to fight in such a way. I concluded someone either taught you how to fight like that, or your instincts kicked in as a result of your time alone. Either way, it wasn't your intention. Rather than be angry at you for something out of your control, I redirected you to meditation and healing. I was hoping it would help your subconscious."

"I see..." Sayomi stared down at her black nails. "I honestly can't say if it's helped or not. When I started using my aura to fight, these makings started to appear. As time went on, they grew until my whole body was nearly covered. After Yusuke died, I was told that my eyes became black and I wasn't completely aware of what I was doing. All I can remember is darkness..."

She didn't want to tell Hokushin about how she came out of it. She could feel flutters in her stomach at the thought of Hiei showing up to help her. _He doesn't need to know that part..._

"Shadow demons are a mystery. I can't say I've met any others besides you. The only thing I can tell you is to be careful. Now that you're on your own, you'll have a tougher time surviving if you can't master your abilities."

"Right..." Sayomi sighed. "I probably could've had them mastered by now if I stuck with training."

"True as that may be, it was best for everyone involved. You're still young, but at least you've matured. If you've become this strong and have only lost control once, that shows how much you've progressed since then."

"Is that why you gave me a weapon?" she asked.

"I knew that once you were in the Human World, there would be no stopping you. I also thought it would be handy to have something other than your aura to rely on for defense. Have you been able to use it?"

Sayomi smiled and nodded. "I use it all the time. I'm able to use it as a weapon and a shield."

Hokushin's smile was subtle but warm. "I'm grateful to hear that. I had it forged specifically for you."

"You did?" Sayomi reached for her sickle to observe it again. The black blade reflected light with a faint blue sheen. The handle was wrapped with black cloth and the chain was made of the same material as the blade.

"I had to travel to a smith outside of Tourin because no one here was capable or willing to craft such a weapon. It's designed to be compatible with your aura. The stronger you become, the more aura it absorbs."

"It absorbs my aura?" Sayomi looked up at the monk in wonder.

"Yes." He nodded. "Just a small portion each time. It helps amplify the strength of your attacks, and I suppose your shield. It's also supposed to help you focus your aura on something other than yourself so you stay grounded. I don't know much about shadow demons, but I figured having a grounding tool would help you in the long run."

Sayomi looked down at the weapon that suddenly felt heavy. _Even though he was against it, he was making sure I would be safe. "_ I didn't even notice my aura was being absorbed."

"You're not supposed to. Just keeping it on your person when using your aura is enough. So, if you always have it with your during your meditations or battle, it should have absorbed a decent amount of your aura by now."

"How much can it hold?" Sayomi tucked away her weapon.

"I was told it could hold as much as needed, so I imagine there's no limit." Hokushin stopped walking and turned to face Sayomi. "This is the edge of our territory. I trust you can handle yourself from here."

Sayomi looked through the trees, then turned to look back at the pillars in the distance. She looked up at Hokushin and said, "Yeah, I think I can. Take care of Yusuke. He's more like the old man than you realize. I'll warn you though, just when you think you have him figured out, he'll surprise you every time."

Hokushin smiled. "I'll keep that in mind. You're welcome back any time, though I doubt we'll be seeing you very often."

Sayomi smirked. "Not too soon, at least. But I do want to say thanks... for everything. You didn't have to take me in, but I'm glad you did."

"Don't mention it." Hokushin turned to leave and said, "Just do _me_ a favor and take care of yourself. Out there, it's all about who's the strongest and the most cunning."

Sayomi watched him until he disappeared behind the trees. When she turned around to leave, she froze. Her muscles tensed as she fought the urge to flee or attack. Her eyes turned dark as she kept her breathing slow.

"Hello, Sayomi. Are you ready to go?" Yasuhiro asked with a hand on his hip and a smirk on his lips. "We have a lot of catching up to do."


	54. Chapter 54

Sayomi kept her distance, giving him no chances. She let her cloak close around her, took in a deep breath, and said, "That was quick. I didn't expect to see you for at least a couple more days."

"What can I say?" Yasuhiro shrugged his shoulders. "I couldn't wait any longer. You don't know how long I've looked forward to this moment. I'm half convinced this is just another dream or meditation."

"Were you there the whole time?" Sayomi asked.

"Of course not." Yasuhiro waved off her suspicion. "I stopped following once you reached your borders. I just wanted you to return safely. Now then, we should start heading back. The farther we get from here the better." He turned to walk away from Raizen's kingdom.

"What about in the Human World? Were you always there?"

"Yes and no. Like I said, I kept a respectable distance, but I was always close by. Now come on. If we don't go soon, we might run into trouble."

Sayomi hesitated before following after him. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see. I'd rather not say anything aloud while we're out here. You never know who might be listening." Yasuhiro smiled and looked down at her. "So how did you end up way out here? It's no wonder I couldn't find you."

"I was found near death and brought here to recover. I don't really know how far I ended up, but this is pretty much where I've been." Sayomi kept her eyes forward, though she watched him in her peripheral.

"When did you end up in the Human World? I gotta say, I was pretty shocked to see you on TV at the Dark Tournament of all places. On the _human team_ , no less."

Sayomi shrugged. "Probably four or five months before the tournament. Hard to say. Everything happened so fast."

"You must've been having fun, then." Yasuhiro sighed. "It makes me kinda jealous, you know? I was supposed to protect you, but I ended up losing you instead. The only reason I kept searching was because I never found anything. Not a body or empty set of clothes to confirm your death."

Sayomi did her best to ignore the memory of the night he was describing. "I couldn't help it. Once I started running, I couldn't stop. It didn't feel safe. When I woke up, I was in a strange room with a monk. Since he nursed me back to health, I figured I was safe enough."

"So how did you get involved with the Underworld Detective?" Yasuhiro kept his smile, but his eyes darkened just a shade.

"I owed the king a favor for his protection. It was the least I could do." She made sure to keep her answers brief, yet detailed enough to convince him of her honesty.

"Interesting." Yasuhiro slipped into silence as he became lost in thought.

Sayomi noted his stoic expression. "What about you? What have _you_ been up to since back then?"

"Besides looking for you, I was busy training. I needed to have full control so a night like that wouldn't happen again." He turned to her with another smile. "I think I can finally say I've gotten to that point. Now that I've got you back, there shouldn't be any more mishaps with my powers."

"Just because you found me?" Sayomi raised a skeptical brow. "That seems a little too good to be true."

"Well, once I made contact with you, I knew I still needed to work on a few things. Now, in the short amount of time since, I've come to understand my abilities better. Soon, you won't have to worry about your powers anymore because I'll protect you."

Sayomi's fists clenched despite her deep breathing. "That won't be necessary. I prefer to take care of myself and practice my abilities the way I think I need to. Besides, I enjoy fighting more than healing."

"It's not about what you _enjoy_ , Sayomi. It's about what's best for you, and what's best is that you avoid fighting as much as possible." He looked up at the sky and said, "Once the sun sets, be ready to use your shadow step. It'll be a lot faster than walking."

Sayomi scowled and nodded. _If you think you can keep me from fighting, then you better pray I don't get stronger than you._

"By the way, Sayomi," Yasuhiro said. "I must say I'm curious about what took you so long to get here."

"The Demon Plane or literally get here?"

"Both." Yasuhiro smiled down at her and said, "It's just, I'm wondering why you would take so long in the Human World, and why you took so long once you came back to Tourin. If you were fulfilling a favor, I want to know what kind of favor it was."

"Sorry, but It's not something I can just talk about. You can call it classified information or personal. Either way, it's really none of your business." Sayomi kept her expression neutral and did her best to ignore her brother's smile.

"That's too bad." Yasuhiro sighed. "Can't blame me for trying, I suppose."

About 45 minutes later, the sun set below the horizon. Yasuhiro turned to Sayomi and switched to infrared vision. She mimicked him, then they covered themselves with shadows. Stepping through the Void to their destination took only a moment. As soon as they arrived, they relinquished their aura and returned to the light spectrum.

Sayomi looked around at the hallway and froze. The walls and floor looked like the muscle tissue of a living creature. Facial features, such as mouths and eyes, protruded from the walls, floor and ceiling. She treaded carefully on the balls of her feet to minimize contact. _How can he just walk over these things so casually?_

Yasuhiro walked down the middle of the hallway with a confident stride and stern glare. Without turning to look at her, he said, "I am taking you to the person I owe my sanity and my life to. He's the one who aided me through my training."

"So, if he helped you to control it, then why can't I ask for the same help?" Sayomi asked, her arched brow challenging him to stop her.

Yasuhiro stopped and turned to glare at her. He lowered his voice and said, "We will discuss it afterwards. For now, just keep your head down and let me do the talking. He's been patient so far. You don't want to anger him."

Sayomi returned his glare, but kept quiet. Beneath her cloak, she slipped her hand over the handle of her sickle. When he turned to continue down the hall, she relaxed. _If he tries anything, I'll show him just how serious I am._

When they reached a fleshy door with an eyeball in the center, Sayomi did her best not to look at it directly. Yasuhiro knocked three times and waited.

There was a moment of silence before a muffled voice said, "Come in."

When Yasuhiro ushered her in, Sayomi noticed the room looked just as creepy as the rest of the place. Across the far wall were windows looking out to the Demon Plane. Sayomi felt her mouth hang open when she realized they were moving over the terrain. _Where the hell_ are _we?_

Yasuhiro walked to the center of the room and bowed on one knee. Sayomi looked down at him with a curious brow. When she looked up, she noticed the figure standing just 6 meters away.

He wore baggy green pants with a violet, gold-trimmed vest. Beneath the vest, the figure wore a white long-sleeved shirt. A red sash was tied around his waist with his head and shoulders wrapped in bandages and talismans. Sayomi kept a stern glare at the tyrant's back.

"My lord," Yasuhiro said reverently. "My apologies for the intrusion. I came to inform you that I have completed my mission and have brought my sister back with me."

 _Wait... So, he_ knew _I was coming?_ Sayomi slid her glare down to her groveling brother. _This is who he's been training under?_

"Girl! Show respect to Lord Mukuro and kneel."

Sayomi glanced at the other demon in the room. He was tall and physically strong. He wore a helmet that only exposed his menacing glare. His torso was protected by armor while his pants were loose and baggy.

When Yasuhiro noticed Sayomi was still standing, and glaring at the second-in-command, he tugged her cloak down to force her to a knee. "I told you to keep your head down and let _me_ do the talking!"

"Hmm?" Mukuro turned and stared down at the commotion.

Sayomi stared at the large eye that peeked through the bandages. Then Yasuhiro forced her head down and said, "Please forgive her, my lord! She's been living with savages who lack proper manners. I will do my best to correct her actions as soon as possible."

Sayomi growled. She snaked her wrist around her brother's arm and slipped out from under his hand. She followed through with a wrist hold and got back to her feet. "I just left someone's territory so I could be free of this crap. I'm not bowing down to some other demon just because he's another king, dammit."

Yasuhiro stared at her trying, and failing, to respond. Mukuro's eye widened slightly at the unexpected outburst. The other demon's glare narrowed as he started to charge his aura.

Sayomi noticed and started to slowly extend her shadow.

"Kirin!"

The demon, Kirin, immediately stopped and turned to Mukuro.

"Let her speak. Then, I'll decide what to do with her." Mukuro kept his eye on Sayomi. "What is your name?"

Seeing that Kirin wasn't going to try anything, Sayomi shifted her attention back to Mukuro and slowly released her brother. She focused on a talisman just above the tyrant's eye. "My name is Sayomi."

"I am Mukuro."

"I know. Where's Hiei?" Sayomi hadn't seen the fire demon in nearly a week. _If he's in a place like this, there's no telling what they're making him do._

"I see..." Mukuro ignored her question and asked, "Where did you come from?"

"That's not important."

"It is if you want to know about _him."_

Sayomi's eyes darkened when she answered, "Tourin."

"Ah." Mukuro's posture relaxed. "That explains a few things. As for _him_ , he's currently fighting 100 A-Class demons in the lower training dungeons."

"100?!" Sayomi gasped. "That's insane!"

"Really?" Mukuro blinked. "I thought I was being too lenient."

"Take me to him, please. I need to make sure he's still alive!" Sayomi glared at the demon and clenched her fists.

"I will not." Mukuro stared down at Sayomi, using just enough of his aura to warn her. "You are here by request of Yasuhiro. I allowed him this opportunity, yet you come into my territory and speak to me in such a manner?"

Sayomi clenched her fists and did her breathing exercises to keep focus. _I know he's holding back, but it's still so intense._

"I am not the starving fool," Mukuro continued. "Hiei is here to train, so he will not be disturbed. He is allowed time to rest in between sessions. I will fetch you when it is time for his break. In the meantime, I advise you stick close and listen to Yasuhiro. Otherwise, your safety won't be guaranteed."

Sayomi scowled. "Do I have a choice?"

Mukuro's head tilted just slightly. "You have another suggestion?"

Sayomi glanced down at her brother before looking back up at Mukuro. "Yasuhiro said he no longer has problems with his power. Is that true?"

"Hmm..." Mukuro looked down at Yasuhiro who kept his head bowed. "Control takes time and the will to work at it. Whether he still struggles with it or not depends on him."

"So if I'm willing, you'll train me?" Sayomi asked. She kept her stance firm with her fists at her sides. "I just want to get strong enough so I can eventually leave on my own. I don't want to stay here any longer than necessary."

"You barely rank a low-B Class. I don't have anything weaker than A-Class in my ranks to provide for training." Mukuro turned to Kirin and said, "Prepare a dungeon of 50 A-Class demons."

Sayomi gasped. "50?!"

"My lord!" Yasuhiro yelled urgently. "Please pay her request no heed! I will be responsible for her protection! It is my –"

"Silence!" Mukuro ordered.

Yasuhiro snapped his mouth shut and returned his gaze to the floor. Sayomi arched her brow at her brother. _Is that really necessary?_

Mukuro returned his attention to the demoness and said, "If you wish to get stronger, then you must fight for your life. If you don't achieve the necessary power, then you will die. These are the terms and conditions for my training."

"Mind if I add another condition?" Sayomi asked.

"Hm?" Mukuro asked, "What condition?"

"I don't want to be part of your army. I want to stay out of the war and have the freedom to come and go as I please." Before Mukuro could speak, Sayomi held up a finger. "Of course, this is only once I'm strong enough to actually leave this place. Until then, I have to consider this my home base."

"A nomadic nature," Mukuro mused. "I suppose I could accommodate for something in return."

 _Of course..._ Sayomi crossed her arms and tilted her head with a raised brow. "What do you need? I don't mind paying a favor with a favor."

"I will inform you when the time comes... if you can survive your training." Mukuro turned back to the view of the Demon Plane forests that passed by. "There's no point asking you for anything if you die before it's time to pay. Stand by with Yasuhiro until Kirin comes to fetch you."

 _Oh!_ Sayomi's eyes widened as she remembered. "Sorry, just one last thing! I need to see Hiei before a month's time. It's urgent."

Without turning back, Mukuro said, "Then you should finish your training quickly."

Sayomi resisted the urge to growl. _I should've known._

"My lord, please allow her to rest first," Yasuhiro begged. "She ran for five consecutive days before coming straight here. I was hoping this would've been a brief introduction so she could regain her strength."

"She has a day," Mukuro said. "Training will begin whether she's ready or not."

Taking that as his hint to leave, Yasuhiro urged Sayomi to do the same. She reluctantly followed him out of the room, but kept her senses open for any surprises. When they walked into a random room without bothering to knock, Sayomi figured it was his.

The room was just as weird as the rest of the compound. Though it had a bed and large chest for personal items, the lack of furnishings made the space feel less like a room and more like a prison cell. She leaned against a wall, careful not to touch an eyeball that peeked through it.

After he locked the door, Yasuhiro turned on Sayomi with a calm glare. "What the hell was that?"

Sayomi returned his glare. "That was taking advantage of an opportunity."

"Do you realize what you've just done?" Yasuhiro closed his eyes and shook his head. "No, of course you don't. You're lucky he didn't _kill_ you right then and there for making such demands."

"You can't stop me from fighting, Yasuhiro. I've had a hard-enough time getting to this point and I'm not letting you take that from me."

"You don't _need_ to do this." Yasuhiro placed his hand on her shoulder and held firm. "I promised mother I would keep you _safe_. Why are you risking yourself?"

"Because I made her a promise, too." Sayomi looked him in the eye, refusing to back down. "I promised her I would be strong. It's the only way to survive. The fact that I have fun doing it is just a bonus."

"She was talking about _emotionally_ , Sayomi." He let her go and started to pace around the room. "The whole point was to _protect_ you, but I can't do that if you insist on _endangering_ yourself to the point of _suicide_."

"That's not what she meant." Sayomi's stormy eyes narrowed. "She knew I couldn't rely on you forever. just like we couldn't rely on her."

"I'm stronger now than she was back then. You won't have to worry about that."

"And what if I get stronger than you?" Sayomi asked. "Will you still insist on _protecting_ me?"

Yasuhiro stopped pacing and stared at Sayomi in shock. "Do you know how _reckless_ you've been over the past several months?"

"I survived, didn't I?" Sayomi crossed her arms and said, "There's a saying I learned in the Human World and it seems to hold true so far. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I almost died a few times, yet I'm stronger than I was before. I know what I can handle and what I can't."

"Dammit, Sayomi!" Yasuhiro snapped. "I didn't get this strong to find you just so you could risk your life!"

"And I thought you were dead all this time," Sayomi said calmly. "For most of my life, this is what I've been striving for because I thought I would be on my own."

"And now you're _not!"_ Yasuhiro pleaded with his eyes for her to understand. "You don't _need_ to fight anymore."

"But I _want_ to," Sayomi argued. "I waited years to gain my independence. Now you're telling me to become dependent on _you_ instead? No thanks. You'll have to kill me to keep me from fighting."

Yasuhiro groaned. "When did you get so _stubborn?"_

Sayomi shrugged. "I guess spending so much time with them rubbed off on me."

"That's not anything to be proud of," Yasuhiro scolded.

"You asked." Sayomi shrugged. "So, can you answer some of _my_ questions now? You've been dodging them ever since you first showed up in my meditations."

Yasuhiro let out a heavy sigh. "I'll answer what I can, but just know I can't answer everything."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't have all the answers. My memory is a bit hazy with certain things. Even if I _try_ to remember, I can't seem to clear the fog."

Sayomi arched her brow curiously. "So what _can_ you remember?"

Yasuhiro sat down on the bed and glared down at the floor. "I don't remember much, really. I remember being chased by the hunters, but I don't remember why. Next thing I know, I lost you. I panicked and almost faded because I went into a frenzy looking for you. If it wasn't for Lord Mukuro, I wouldn't be here. I only found out I was a suspected criminal when he recruited me into his army. He told me what I had done and said he had better methods for training. I almost didn't join, but he said I'd be able to find what I was looking for if I worked for him." He raised his head to meet her eyes. "Years later, I finally found you."

Sayomi did her best to not react to the look he was giving her. "So, you don't remember practicing your powers on humans?"

"If I did it, then I probably had no choice. When I finally came to my senses, it was like waking up from a long sleep."

Sayomi kept her guard up. "Okay, let's say I believe you. How did you gain control?"

"You'll find out soon enough." Yasuhiro sighed heavily. "Lord Mukuro is going to push you beyond your limits. It will be life or death. The only way you can survive is to rely on the Void. The real training will begin when you start to give in to it." He looked at the mark around her neck. "I'm sure you have an idea what I'm talking about."

"That's actually another thing I wanted to ask you." She gestured to her neck, then his eyes. "What do these mean?"

"You've been touched by the Void," Yasuhiro said quietly. "You've come close to fading, haven't you?"

Sayomi didn't bother denying it. _Hiei did mention something about that._ "Yusuke died. At the time, I didn't care if I faded or not. I just... "

"You didn't care?" Yasuhiro's eyes narrowed. "You didn't consider how that might've affected _me?_ "

Sayomi tensed when she noticed the shift in his tone. "Yusuke is—"

"An abomination," Yasuhiro finished. "He's a human recruited by the Underworld who turns out to have demonic ancestry. The irony is not lost on me. Why you would be willing to fade for the likes of the half-breed is what boggles my mind."

"If you actually gave him a chance, then maybe you'd understand." Sayomi met her brother's glare with her own. "Yusuke has a knack for surprising people."

"Is he the reason you asked to not be part of the war?"

"He's part of it. I just want to be neutral." Sayomi shrugged. "Mukuro said it himself. I know I'm only here temporarily, so why join an army?"

"But you could _stay_ here," Yasuhiro argued. "Why do you feel like you need to leave?"

"I'm not gonna rely on others to protect me when I can protect myself. Besides, I don't really like this place. It feels really creepy here." Her eyes wandered to the eyeball poking out through the ceiling and the pair of lips on the floor.

"You'll get used to it. It's really not as bad as you think, Sayomi."

"I'll decide that for myself. I still have one more question I need to ask." She stared her brother in the eye. "What happened to my shade?"

"Do you remember what your shade is?" Yasuhiro asked.

"It's a version of myself, isn't it?"

"In a sense," Yasuhiro answered. "Your shade was a manifestation of what you considered negative emotions. When you were little, you used to literally manifest your shade with your own shadow to have someone to play with. It was back when mother was still alive and I was usually out gathering supplies and information."

 _I don't remember that..._ Sayomi tried to think back to such a time, but nothing came to mind. _Is that why the monks taught me to meditate? So they wouldn't have to see me talking to a physical shadow version of myself?_

"You were always a good child who smiled all the time and did as you were told, but your shade would often voice how you really felt about certain things. If your shade is gone, it usually implies that you don't need it anymore. You felt strong enough to handle your own negative emotions. I assume this came from your training, am I right?"

Sayomi shrugged.

Yasuhiro sighed. "Our powers are tied to our emotions, Sayomi. They affect the strength of an attack and our control. If you can use your emotions to your advantage, rather than just reacting to them, then you'll have better control over your power."

Sayomi's eyes widened slightly as she thought of Yusuke. _Master Genkai was always telling him that he needed to more honest with his emotions. Especially during his fight with Toguro... I've always been afraid of losing control and fading until..._

"Mind if I ask you a question now?" Yasuhiro asked.

"Might as well," Sayomi allowed.

"For the longest time, I've been struggling with my anger. What have _you_ been struggling with?"

"Fear," Sayomi answered.

"I see." Yasuhiro bowed his head and let out an empty chuckle. "I guess that makes sense. You were probably terrified when we got separated and now with your powers."

"I'm not as scared anymore," Sayomi said. "Sure, I don't want to fade away if I can help it, but even the Underworld doesn't know what happens to souls in the end. I want to get over my fears so I can enjoy my life the way I want to."

Yasuhiro stared at Sayomi for a moment. She stared back. The staring contest dragged on until Yasuhiro grunted. "You should get some sleep. It will be the only rest you'll get until you complete your training."

"Am I supposed to sleep on the floor?" Sayomi asked, eyeballing the mouth in the center.

"Of course not," Yasuhiro said. "You take the bed. I'll stand guard outside until it's time for your training."

Sayomi watched as he left the room. Then she stared at the bed, and sighed. "He's probably right. Still, I don't like the idea of sleeping here with all these eyes watching me."

She sat on the center of the bed and settled into a lotus position. Though she kept her eyes closed and her breathing slow, she made sure to keep her ears open for anything that might sneak up on her. _Meditation will work just as well as sleep. Even if I_ could _fall asleep, I don't want Yasuhiro or that Kirin guy sneaking up on me when I seem the most vulnerable._


	55. Chapter 55

Sayomi hid in the darkest shadow she could find. Granted, it was getting harder without the other demons in the room. She glanced at the bodies bleeding across the floor. _Sneak attacks won't work forever..._

"Where did she get to this time?" A bipedal wolf snarled as he sniffed the air for her scent.

"She's picking us off." A boar demon grunted with a hammer in his hands. "She's either invisible or hiding somewhere."

"Where could she hide?" A reptilian demon scanned his eyes across the room.

Sayomi did her best to keep herself concealed. She made sure her breathing was calm and steady. She was crouched on the balls of her feet, waiting for a good moment to make her move. _As long as I just use the bare minimum of my aura to blend with the shadows, they shouldn't be able to find me._

She froze when the wolf demon stepped just in front of her. She held her breath as he sniffed the air. When he turned in her direction, Sayomi focused her aura on her sickle and decapitated the wolf before he could give her away. Just before his body hit the floor, Sayomi quickly dove for his shadow and waited for the other demons to rush over.

"Another one?!"

"She's over there!"

About a dozen demons ran straight towards the body. They looked around, holding their weapons at the ready. When they couldn't find her, they became irritated.

"Quit hiding and show yourself!" A tengu flew into the air and flapped his wings, sending a gust of wind through the room. "We're tired of these games!"

"We want a _real_ fight!" An ox shouted, raising his axe above his head.

 _Screw what you want. This is life or death for me and I plan to live._ Sayomi waited for their shadows to connect with the corpse. Then she used their shadows to wrap chains around their limbs. Six demons were bound in place and struggling to get free.

Sayomi stepped out of the shadows and swung her sickle in a wide circle. The blade released a ring of darkness that cut through the demons' bellies. _How many left?_

"There she is!" The boar pointed at her with his hammer.

"Get her!" The tengu pointed down at her.

"You're _dead meat,_ girl!" The ox charged for her, his axe held ready to swing.

Sayomi quickly covered her body with aura and let the axe swing through. He blinked in confusion as the momentum threw him off balance. Then he glared and tried again. His second swing missed like the first.

"You can't kill me if you can't hit me." Sayomi smirked and dashed behind him. She used her sickle to cut off his arm.

"Gaagh!" He yelled and swung his axe, but only hit wisps of shadow. He frantically looked for her as he used his pain to fuel his anger. "Come out and _fight me!"_

Sayomi used his shadow to bind his remaining arm. Then another chain pierced through his head. He dropped dead at her feet.

"Got you!" An imp-like demon sliced her arm with his dagger.

"Ow!" Sayomi growled and swung her sickle across the imp's throat. She applied pressure to her arm as she used her aura to glide through the room.

She appeared behind a pillar and gritted her teeth in pain. She let go of her arm and glared at the blood on her hand. She wiped her hand on her pants then started to close the wound. As soon as the bleeding stopped, she waited for the other demons to come within range.

Just as she was about to peek around the pillar, she felt a strong sense of bloodlust. She dodged and rolled back to her feet as a hammer smashed the ground where she was hiding. She threw the chain of her weapon and tangled it around the boar's hands and weapon. Then she tugged, tightening the chain and pulling him off balance. Sayomi wasted no time finishing him with her sickle.

She felt a tug on her cloak and looked up to see the tengu trying to stab her with a spear. She used her cloak to vanish and reappear behind him. She landed on his back and pulled on his wings, forcing him to crash into the ground. She cut off his head and hid behind another tendon pillar.

The reptilian smirked as he shed his camouflage. He was clinging to the pillar above Sayomi's head with a blow-dart gun. When he shot a feathered dart into her thigh, Sayomi pivoted and bound the demon to the pillar with her chain. She raised her sickle and rested the blade against his neck. "Looks like you're the last one."

"Just you wait, girl. You'll get what'sss coming to you."

Sayomi cut off his head. It fell by her feet with a low thud. She put away the chain, cleaned the blood off the blade, and sat down to catch her breath. she kept her hand on her weapon and waited for someone to let her out.

 _If Mukuro sent_ this _many, then I can only imagine how many Hiei has to deal with._ She let out a yawn and scanned the room of bodies, doing a quick head count.

Sayomi looked down at her wounds and remembered the dart in her thigh. She pulled it out and sniffed the tip. "Great... It's laced with something." She yawned again and threw the dart away before glaring down at the reptilian's head. "I should've asked him about it before I killed him."

She cringed and glared at the door through narrow eyes as it creaked open. Mukuro walked in, observing the carnage in the room. "I see you managed to survive."

"You said you would prepare a dungeon with 50 demons," Sayomi said. "So why were there _75?"_

"The demon plane won't give you fair odds. Even if you _think_ you have your enemy figured out, there are always surprises." Mukuro walked until he stood a few meters away. He stared down at her and said, "I'm afraid it took you longer than your month deadline."

Sayomi scoffed. "I wonder why..."

"That's enough, Sayomi."

Sayomi peered around Mukuro to see Yasuhiro glaring down at her. She glared back.

"Despite the odds, you managed to claw your way to a low A-Class level," Mukuro continued, ignoring her sarcastic quip. "If you still wish to see him, then I recommend you go now."

Sayomi dropped her glare and stared at Mukuro in mild surprise. "Really?"

"You both have three days to rest and regain your strength." Mukuro turned to Yasuhiro and said, "Take her to him. After that, she can eat and rest."

"Yes, my lord." Yasuhiro bowed until Mukuro left the dungeon. When he raised his head, Sayomi was yawning and getting to her feet. "Do you realize you could've _died?"_

"But I didn't. Now, I'm stronger." She dusted herself off and crossed her arms. "Can we leave now? I need to take care of something and I'd like to eat as soon as possible before crashing."

"Something to take care of... with the thief?" Yasuhiro's eyes darkened.

"Obviously. I'm paying off a quick debt." Deciding not to wait, she walked towards the exit, covering another yawn. "After that, I just want to enjoy my break."

Yasuhiro sighed and followed her out. Then he led her down a maze of hallways that confused her sense of direction. _Everything here looks the same... And is it just me or are these eyes following us?_

When Yasuhiro stopped at a door, he turned to her and said, "I'll give you an hour. After that, I'll take you back to our room."

"Why can't I just have my own room?" Sayomi asked.

"Because anyone can sneak up on you at any moment and you're too exhausted to defend yourself properly."

"Does _Hiei_ have a body guard?"

"He's not my little sister." Yasuhiro opened the door to let her in. "One hour."

When he closed the door behind her, Sayomi noticed the room looked almost the same as Yasuhiro's. _The eyes and mouths are in different places, but..._

Then her eyes wandered to the bed. She smiled automatically when she saw Hiei sleeping. He wore his usual black sweats and sleeveless black shirt. Instead of his usual white belts, a red sash was tied around his waist and his sword leaned up against the bed.

She yawned and kneeled beside his bed to take a closer look at his condition. He was covered in cuts and bruises. His hair was messier than usual and his clothes were covered in blood and dirt. _It looks like his wounds have already started to heal on their own._

Then she noticed a white string around his neck. She stared at it curiously. _I don't remember Hiei wearing jewelry before..._

As she reached out to take a peek, Hiei's hand snapped up and fastened tightly to her wrist. She gasped and looked up to see him glaring at her through sleepy eyes. Sayomi blushed, embarrassed for getting caught.

When Hiei sat up, he groaned from the pain, but kept his hold on her wrist. Then he looked at her beaten state. "What happened?"

"Training," Sayomi answered. She let out a yawn and said, "I asked Mukuro to train me, since he trained my brother."

Hiei glared and looked at the mark on her neck. Satisfied that it hadn't changed, he let go of her wrist. "Your brother?"

"Yeah." Sayomi gestured to the door. "Turns out he's been here the whole time. So I asked Mukuro for the same training."

Hiei looked over the scratches and bruises on her arms. Her clothes had a few tears and blood stains, but she didn't look broken. "Why haven't you healed yourself?"

Sayomi sighed. "I've been healing myself to stop the bleeding. I didn't want to waste all of my aura on it and I was limited on time. I literally just finished."

"When did you get here?" Hiei asked.

"Here at Mukuro's?" Sayomi looked down at the floor as she tried to think. Then she looked back at him and shrugged. "I guess about a week or so after you did. I tried to see you, but Mukuro said I couldn't interrupt your training. So, to pass the time, I did my own training."

"You took longer than three weeks if you just finished," Hiei said.

"I know, but I _was_ here at Mukuro's fortress within the month," Sayomi defended.

"I said this was between you and me," Hiei said. "So you went over the deadline."

"You just said I had to _be here._ " Sayomi scowled and crossed her arms. "Besides, I didn't really have a chance to get you anything, so you'll have to wait either way."

Hiei frowned and turned till he was sitting on the edge of the bed, facing Sayomi. She tensed when he started to reach out to her, then let out a relieved sigh when he rested his hand on her head. As he started petting her hair, her body relaxed and she closed her eyes. _This feels nice..._

A moment later, he stopped and she felt his warm breath on her lips. His voice was just above a whisper. "I've waited long enough."

Hiei pulled her in the rest of the way until his lips claimed hers in a hungry kiss. Sayomi froze, unable to do anything but shyly kiss back. Then he pulled her in closer until he was sitting up straight and she had to brace herself against him. When his tongue gently licked her bottom lip, she let out a quiet gasp. He nipped her lip and pulled away, licking his own lips with a satisfied smirk.

Sayomi opened her eyes and stared at Hiei, then did her best to look at anything else. Her face felt hot as she noticed his arm wrapped around her waist and he made no attempt to let go. "Uh..."

Hiei glanced down, then met her eyes. "Is there a problem?"

Sayomi looked down as she tried to put her thoughts together. _What is he_ doing?! _I thought he wanted something like a weapon or –_

Hiei lifted her chin until she looked at him. Their close proximity made her blush worse. "I-I... I don't..." She bit her lip and looked down until she heard him growl quietly. She quickly stopped and forced her eyes back to his. "I've never..."

"Was it bad?" He asked.

"No, but... _"_ She felt surprised, happy, confused, and a mess of other emotions. She couldn't bring herself to push away from him. Instead, she wanted to get closer, but she was afraid to.

Hiei leaned forward and skimmed his nose against the nape of her neck. He kissed her mark and chuckled when she shivered in his arms. "Do you not want to?"

 _What?!_ Sayomi cleared her throat and said, "I figured you would want someone stronger."

Hiei leaned back to look at her. "You're training to get stronger, aren't you?"

"Yeah..."

"Then what's the problem?"

Sayomi looked down at the bed, then she turned to look at the door. She frowned and looked up at Hiei. "Yasuhiro's right outside the door. He's been very... _protective_ since I got here."

Hiei glared at the door then looked down at her. "I don't care."

Sayomi stared at Hiei in disbelief. _Is he serious?_

"This is between us. He doesn't have any say in the matter." Hiei laid down on the bed and pulled her down with him. "If he has a problem, then he can fight me."

"But..." Sayomi tried to protest, but Hiei started petting her hair again. She yawned as her eyes slowly closed and she settled into his embrace. _So warm... and comfortable. So tired... Just a short... nap..._

After a few minutes of petting, Hiei noticed she had fallen asleep. He smirked and pulled her against him, settling in to sleep, too. Before he could doze off, the door opened. He glared up at the intruder.

Yasuhiro stood in the doorway. He glared down at them laying together in the bed and his eyes darkened. "If you could remove your hands from my sister, I'll take her to get some proper rest."

Hiei didn't move. He just watched Yasuhiro with dangerous eyes. "She's safe here. Now leave."

Yasuhiro clenched his fist until his knuckles popped. The light in the room started to dim as he took in a deep breath. "I won't ask again, thief."

Hiei stayed where he was with Sayomi asleep in his arms. His Evil Eye glowed beneath his headband, watching the shadow demon carefully.

"Yasuhiro."

Hiei and the shadow demon both turned their attention to the hall. Kirin stood behind Yasuhiro, glaring at him beneath his mask. "Lord Mukuro is looking for you."

Yasuhiro narrowed his eyes and returned his glare to Hiei. "I'll be there in a moment. I just need to take her back to my room first."

Kirin glanced in the room then returned his stern gaze to Yasuhiro. "Lord Mukuro will not wait. If you don't come immediately, your actions will be designated as defiant and your punishment will follow swiftly."

Yasuhiro closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Then he turned to leave the room. "I understand."

After they closed the door, Hiei watched them with his Evil Eye to make sure they were leaving. Then he looked down to see Sayomi hadn't stirred. He smirked and rested his head against hers before going to sleep himself.

When Sayomi woke up, the first thing she noticed was how warm she was. She snuggled into the covers, then felt something firm behind her back and across her waist. She carefully turned her head and stopped when she saw Hiei sleeping right behind her. Then she looked down and noticed his bandaged arm wrapped around her. She blushed when she remembered what had happened. _That was my first kiss..._

She snapped out of her thoughts when his hold on her tightened. She looked up to see he was still asleep, but he looked disturbed about something. _Is he having a bad dream?_ She placed a hand on his shoulder and began to gently shake him. "Hiei? Hiei, wake up."

A moment later, Hiei groggily blinked his eyes open. "Sayomi?"

Sayomi sighed in relief and smiled. "Were you having a nightmare?"

He ignored her question and pulled her in for a kiss. Sayomi was surprised by how gentle it was compared to the first one and the spontaneity made her feel a rush of excitement. When he pulled away and got out of bed, she wanted him to come back.

After Hiei tied his sword around his waist, he turned to Sayomi and said, "Get up. We're going to have a word with Mukuro."

"Huh? Me too?" Sayomi pointed at herself and blinked curiously. "What for?"

As Hiei pulled his cloak on, he said, "Your brother walked in after you fell asleep. I need to tell Mukuro not to let him near you. I'd rather have you in my sight than leave you alone with _him_."

Sayomi's eyes widened as Hiei spoke. "He saw us... like that?"

"He was going to take you to his room," Hiei explained. "He became upset when I told him to leave. Before anything could happen, Mukuro's flunky came to get him."

"Maybe if I talk to him –"

"He won't listen. He still has an unstable mentality that's borderline obsession." Hiei waited for her to get out of bed and compose herself a bit. Then he escorted her out of the room and down the creepy corridors. "I could see the bloodlust in his eyes. He wasn't trying to hide his aura either."

"Wouldn't _you_ be angry if you found Yukina in such a position with a guy?" Sayomi asked.

"It was more than that," Hiei said. "He was ready to kill if I didn't give you up. He would've died trying."

Sayomi scowled, but didn't argue. _I know Yasuhiro means well, but he is a bit over protective. Hiei is the same way when it comes to Yukina, so why does this bother him?_

When they reached the door with the eyeball in the center, Sayomi arched her brow. "You know your way around already?"

Without answering, Hiei tapped his forehead. Then, without knocking, he let himself into the room. Sayomi followed him in and looked around to see who else was there. She easily found Mukuro and Kirin, but there was no sign of her brother.

Hiei walked straight to Mukuro and said, "We have a problem."

"Oh?" Mukuro turned to see Hiei and Sayomi standing behind him.

Without flinching under the tyrant's gaze, Hiei said, "I don't want her brother anywhere near her. From now on, she stays with me."

"Hmm..." Mukuro shifted his attention to Sayomi, then back to Hiei. "Yasuhiro said the same thing about you. He doesn't want his sister to be around a killer."

"And I don't want my potential mate around a mentally unstable demon with control issues." Hiei's eyes narrowed. "If I see him come near us again, I won't hold back."

Sayomi stared at Hiei in shock. _Potential... Did I agree to this?_

Mukuro tilted his head curiously. "I wasn't aware you two were that close. Neither of you mentioned such a relationship before."

"It wasn't your business," Hiei said coldly. "Now do we have your word?"

Mukuro ignored Hiei's question to look at Sayomi. "Is this what you want, too?"

"Huh?" Sayomi blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. _I didn't expect_ any _of this!_

"Would you prefer to stay with your mate or with your brother?" Mukuro asked.

Mukuro's blunt question made Sayomi blush. She glanced at Hiei, who was staring back at her. Then she took in a deep breath before answering. "If I had to choose... I would rather stay with Hiei. It's good to see Yasuhiro is okay, for the most part, but since I got here, he's been too... smothering."

"This choice will affect your training," Mukuro warned. "You will be training with Hiei, who's on a much higher level than you. And I can't predict how this choice will affect Yasuhiro's progress."

Sayomi looked down at the floor. _If I go with Hiei, Yasuhiro will be upset and my training will be more dangerous. But if I stay with Yasuhiro, he'll shelter me and try to keep me from fighting._

When she looked up, Hiei and Mukuro were waiting for her answer. Sayomi sighed. "Given the two choices, I think I'll be better off staying with Hiei. Even if the training is harder, I'll get stronger. Then maybe Yasuhiro won't need to be so protective."

"Does that satisfy you?" Hiei asked, turning back to Mukuro.

Mukuro kept his attention on Sayomi. "Why do you want to get stronger?"

"I want my independence," Sayomi answered. "As soon as I thought I had it, it was taken from me all over again. I just want to live my life on my terms."

"Whether you go with Hiei or Yasuhiro, you'll be depending on one of them for your well-being," Mukuro pointed out.

"In a way," Sayomi agreed. "But Hiei won't try to keep me from doing what I want."

"Hmm..." Mukuro looked at Hiei. "Shall I prepare a proper chamber for the both of you, then?"

Sayomi's eyes widened when she realized what she agreed to. _Oh no..._

"Do what you like. Just as long as he doesn't bother us," Hiei said.

"Very well..." Mukuro turned to Kirin. "Take them to a room in the east wing."

"Yes, my lord." Kirin bowed and left the room with Hiei and Sayomi following behind.

As they walked, Sayomi tried not to look at Hiei. _I didn't really think this through, did I? But he didn't even ask me about it, did he?_ Her lips tingled as she remembered their kisses. _Although... If he really means it..._

When they got to the new room, the first thing Sayomi noticed was the bigger bed in the center of the room. There was another door on the wall to the right. Since there was a large chest at the foot of the bed, she figured the door led to a bathroom. She blushed as Hiei shut the door and shrugged out of his cloak. _Are we supposed to share the bed? I know we just took a nap together, but I was just really tired._

"What's wrong?" Hiei asked. He sat on the bed and stared up at her.

"What you said back there..." Sayomi had a hard time keeping her eyes on the swordsman. "About being..."

"Mates," Hiei said, reading her body language and speech pattern. "Was my intention not clear enough?"

"But I didn't actually _agree_ to that, did I?" Sayomi kept an awkward distance from the bed. _I don't have any experience with this sort of thing. How was I supposed to know?_

"You didn't object, either," Hiei said smugly.

"Well..." Sayomi tried to think of a good argument. "It was kinda sudden and given the two options, you seemed to be the most logical choice. But did you need to tell Mukuro that I was your potential mate?"

"I said it because it's the truth."

Sayomi stared at Hiei. She couldn't think through the haze of emotions that fogged her mind. "Since when?"

Hiei sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "The fox first brought it up at the Dark Tournament. It was when we were attacked by the quack doctor's robot."

Sayomi recalled the troll who brainwashed three human boys to fight for him. _I forgot they were missing for that round._

"I told him we were training, but he noticed we were training exclusively with each other."

Sayomi thought back to those days that felt so far away compared to the present. _Now that he mentions it, the girls pointed that out, too. I thought they were just reading too much into things._

"When I realized what he was implying, I thought he was being foolish. Then when you wanted to back out of the finals, I could only think of keeping you and Yukina out of danger. When you came back, I was furious that no one bothered to stop you."

"But you know I don't want anyone protecting me. It's the reason I asked you to train me in the first place, because _you_ didn't need anyone." Sayomi felt a wave of relief for finding the right words.

"Hn." Hiei looked her up and down, noting the wounds and her worn clothing. "When I saved you and Yusuke from the explosion, I realized just how danger prone you really were. I couldn't ignore the possibility of you getting yourself killed. I became certain when you almost faded away."

Sayomi clenched her fists. _If he hadn't been there... I'd be..._

"After the portal was closed, I was in no hurry. You still had business with Yusuke and I was stuck in the Human World again. Kurama asked if I was willing to wait or if I would leave you behind to go to the Demon Plane. After receiving Mukuro's invitation, I realized I needed you to come with me or give you a reason to find me."

"Hiei..." Sayomi bit her lip as she tried to put her feelings into words. "When I first met you, you scared me. You threatened Yusuke, who I was supposed to protect, and you talked down to me like I wasn't worth your time. Then I saw you fight..."

Sayomi smiled as she remembered his quick fight with Seiryu and their fight with the hominids. "You never showed any fear or hesitation when you faced an opponent. You were quick and efficient with your attacks and I wanted to learn that from you. I wanted that confidence.

"Then at the tournament, the girls pointed out the same thing, that we were spending a lot of time together. I thought they were just assuming things, but every time you got injured, I couldn't help worrying about you. It hurt when you told me to stay away, but I tried not to let it bother me. I should've expected it after betraying your trust like that, but I still couldn't help thinking about you after you left."

Hiei was about to say something, but Sayomi held up a hand to stop him. "When you came back, I was so happy. Then you kept me from fading and I can't tell you how much that really means to me. I just... I have no experience with guys outside of friendship. I don't know if I'll be able to give you what you want."

Hiei kept his eyes on her as he stood up from the bed. He stalked towards her until he pressed her back against the wall. She stared up at him, blushing from the way he was staring at her. Then he leaned forward and said, "I want you. Now it's only a matter if you're willing to let me have you."

Sayomi's mouth went dry as his words made her stomach twist in knots. She tried to think, but his face was just inches from hers. His stare compelled her to give him an answer. Too embarrassed to say it aloud, she closed her eyes and nodded.

Hiei smirked and ran his fingers through her hair before leaning in to close the gap. Sayomi returned the kiss, her hands clinging to his shirt for support. As he tugged her hair to tilt her head up and deepen the kiss, a brief thought crossed her mind. _He's gotten taller..._


	56. Chapter 56

When Sayomi woke up, she noticed a familiar warmth against her back. Instead of trying to pull away, she relaxed against Hiei. As if responding to her movement, his arm hugged her closer.

She noticed his breathing was a quicker rhythm than hers, so she turned to check on him. He was starting to build up a sweat and his expression looked troubled like the first time she saw him in Alaric. She shook his shoulder to wake him, but he didn't stir. Then she decided to try petting through his hair. _It works for me, so maybe it'll help him, too._

Soon Hiei's breathing slowed down and his body relaxed. Sayomi sighed with relief and continued to pet his hair. She smiled as she felt its soft texture. Then she saw him staring at her with sleepy eyes.

"Was it another nightmare?" Sayomi asked.

Hiei stared at her for a moment, debating whether to tell her or not. Then he kissed her lips and said, "You can say that. It was a memory."

"Memory of what?" Sayomi couldn't help her curiosity.

"The day I was born." He looked her in the eye and asked, "Do you want to see?"

When she nodded, he removed his headband and opened his Evil Eye. Then he lifted her chin so she could stare directly into it. Sayomi fell into a trance as her vision started to blur and fade to black.

In Hiei's dream, Sayomi saw a view of the Demon Plane forests with a floating island high up in the sky. Angry female voices echoed in the wind.

"A boy... _a cursed child!"_

"During her reproductive period, she trysted with a man."

"The very thought of such a thing is appalling!"

Hiei projected his own thoughts so Sayomi could understand. "An ice maiden's lifespan is infinite. She bears one child every 100 years, by parthenogenesis, so it is always female... unless the mother has been intimate with a man."

A circle of four old women in kimonos came into view. They stood around a fire as they discussed their options. Meanwhile, a younger woman stood apart from the circle, cradling a bundle in her arms.

"A boy _and_ a girl! Twins! This is unprecedented!" A tall, thin old woman spat in disgust. "Doyenne, what should we do about this?"

A hunched old woman with a deep frown, Doyenne, spoke with a cold, raspy voice. "The girl will be one of us, but the boy... I shudder at the prospect he presents."

A brief vision of a baby wrapped in cloth and talismans appeared. Sayomi recognized the crimson eyes that glared out from underneath.

"I could see and hear while still in the womb. I wondered what that meant," Hiei mused. "Did I, perhaps, have the power to roast them alive? I'd have enjoyed that."

The image changed to a close, outside view of the frozen island. "Ice maidens are cloistered in a floating castle (The Glacial Country) enveloped in dense clouds, avoiding interaction with the world below. The reason?" Hiei's tone became bitter. "When an ice maiden breeds with a male, the resulting offspring is always a male and takes on the characteristics of the father, which seems to explain why most end up vicious and ruthless. As for the mother, she never survives giving birth to a male. Clearly these factors are not conducive to the preservation of their kind."

The image zoomed in to a sharp cliff on the island. The young woman stood at the furthest edge with the bundle in her arms. The old women stood further back behind her at a safer distance.

"Rui..." Doyenne approached the young maiden with her arms clasped behind her back. "We know you were close to Hina. But this child, as with so many before, will be a plague upon us. Would Hina want that?"

The ice maiden, Rui, cried silent tears that turned to jewels as they fell.

Doyenne glared. " _Do what you must!"_

Rui hesitated a moment, then tossed the infant over the cliff. The bound baby fell down through the clouds into the forest below.

"I figured I could survive on my own. And I already had a goal in life. I would go back and completely justify that crone's fears." Hiei closed his Evil Eye and pulled away to look at Sayomi.

Sayomi opened her eyes and felt tears sliding down her cheeks. When she realized she was crying, she turned around and did her best to wipe them away. "Sorry... I just... That's just terrible."

Hiei frowned and climbed over to pin her to the bed. Before she could react, he leaned in and kissed her. She froze as he leaned down to lay on top of her and pin her hands down beside her head. Then he moved to lick a stray tear from her cheek.

When Hiei came back to her lips, Sayomi blushed and kissed him back. He smirked and grazed his tongue over her lips. She blushed and pressed her lips shut. He growled and licked again, gently biting her lower lip. She hesitated, but eventually granted him entry.

As he explored her mouth and brushed against her tongue, her hands clenched his until her nails started digging into his skin. Hiei groaned as he bit down into her lip. She relaxed her grip and gently teased him with her tongue as she arched her back. He growled and kissed her lips before pulling away. Sayomi opened her eyes and gazed up at Hiei.

He stared down at her with smoldering eyes and said, "You're a quick learner."

When he got up, he walked into the bathroom and closed the door. A minute later, the shower started running and Sayomi stared at the door in a blissful daze.

 _That was..._ She bit her lip and blushed. _Was he trying to hold back?_

She slowly sat up from the bed and took slow breaths. _Okay... It's no big deal. If this is gonna become a normal thing, then I might as well get used to it._

She remembered the feel of his hard body pressed against hers. Though he kept her pinned close, his touch was gentle. Sayomi couldn't banish the memory while it was still so fresh in her senses. _This might take a little while..._

She listened to the running water and used it to distract herself. Her mind wandered to Hiei's dream. _So he was abandoned as a newborn? I suppose that explains why he's so angry, but that means he was lying about his relation to Yukina before. They had the same mother, and..._

She recalled the young maiden's sad expression and the tiny, warded infant in her arms. _She was crying... Did she not want to do that?_

When the shower turned off, Sayomi averted her eyes and looked down at the bed. Hiei walked out of the bathroom in his sweats with a towel draped around his neck. He noticed she was trying not to look at him again, so he said, "You should get cleaned up. We'll get some food when you're ready."

Sayomi nodded and got out of bed to go to the bathroom. As she started her shower, she used the chance to sort through her thoughts. She replayed his dream in her mind, but she wanted to know more. _How did he survive such a dangerous drop? And does this mean he still hasn't found the island? But then how does he know about Yukina?_

She stepped out of the shower with more questions than before. _I'd hate to push him for answers, but now I want to know more. Hopefully, he'll be able to tell me when he's ready._

She got dressed in her spare clothes and stepped back into the room. Hiei was sitting on the bed and towel-drying his hair. She noticed a blue jewel dangling around his neck. _It's beautiful..._

Hiei peeked out from under the towel and noticed her staring. "It's Yukina's."

Sayomi snapped out of her trance and looked up at him. "Yukina gave it to you?"

Hiei nodded. "Just before we left the Human World."

 _A month ago..._

"Take this..." Yukina held a necklace with a round, blue jewel in her palm. "It was my mother's. Ice Maidens giving birth shed a single tear. It solidifies into a crystal that's given to the baby. Yet my mother Hina, having twins, shed two tears."

Hiei said nothing as he waited for her to continue.

"One is mine, and the other should be my brother's," Yukina explained.

"That pig Tarukane didn't take it from you?" Hiei asked.

"I hid it in my stomach." Then she gasped and said, "Don't worry, I _washed_ it!"

"Why give it to me?"

Yukina composed herself and said, "They say my brother was swathed in a flaming aura. Rui, my mother's closest friend, told me she couldn't hold him unless she wrapped him up in talismanic cloth. Even that barely protected her."

Hiei scowled at the mention of the ice maiden. _Rui... She tossed me away._

"I think perhaps you're much like him," Yukina confessed. "If you ever meet a boy with a similar jewel, tell him I'm in the Human World."

Hiei took the necklace and inspected the jewel. "You think he's still alive? After being thrown from a flying castle?"

Yukina smiled. "I have no doubt of it."

Hiei scowled at her optimism.

Yukina's expression became solemn as she said, "Rui also told me he was aware of his situation, and will come back one day to take revenge." Yukina looked at Hiei with certainty. "I believe that will happen."

Hiei stared back. He remembered the woman, Rui, giving him a necklace as she cried her own tears.

" _When you come back... Take me first. It will be my atonement to Hina."_

He remembered taking the necklace in his fist and smirking up at the woman.

Yukina scowled. "If survival means being cold and hard as ice, then I don't see the point. That's my view, anyway."

"Hmph... So you ran away," Hiei concluded. "You weren't actually granted leave to search for your brother." He fixed a stern glare on her and said, "If you want this disaster to fall, summon it yourself. Don't depend on the whims of a brother who may or may not be alive."

Yukina stared at him with wide eyes, then stared down at the floor. "Yes... You're right." Then she looked up at him with a smile. "I believe my brother would tell me the same thing."

 _Present..._

Sayomi bit her lip as she imagined Yukina saying something so dark. _They_ are _siblings, but is that why she has such a warm personality?_ Then she looked at Hiei and said, "So, she still doesn't know, but she _does_ think you're like her brother. Is that a twin's intuition?"

"Who cares?" Hiei stood up and pulled a black sleeveless shirt over his head. "As long as she doesn't know, then that's all that matters."

Sayomi sighed and shook her head. _Maybe one day..._

"If you're ready, then we should go," Hiei said as he grabbed his cloak. "We start training again tomorrow so you should eat while you can. We don't need you passing out in the middle of the fight."

"Yeah, I know." Sayomi grabbed her cloak and followed Hiei out the door. "I'm just tired of being in this place. I want to actually go outside for a while."

"Why?" Hiei asked.

Sayomi looked around at the hallway of eyes and mouths. "Does this stuff really not creep you out?"

"You're being forced to kill demons to survive and this still bothers you?" Hiei walked straight down the middle of the hall with his hands in his pockets.

Sayomi did her best not to touch anything. "Only because I don't have a choice. I don't like having to kill."

"That's a childish perspective. If you intend to fend for yourself in the Demon Plane, then it's kill or be killed."

"I know that," Sayomi scowled. "That doesn't mean I need to _enjoy_ it. I like fighting, but not killing."

"Then what's the point?" Hiei asked, glaring at her.

"Fighting is fun. But if you have to kill your opponent, then that takes away their chance to improve." Sayomi glared back at him and said, "Killing doesn't make you a better fighter. It just makes you a killer. If you really enjoy fighting, then why not let them live so you can enjoy a better fight another day?"

"So if someone tries to kill me, I should just let them walk away to try again?" Hiei scoffed. "That's ridiculous."

"Well, if he's trying to kill you, then that's another story." Sayomi tried to think of the right words so he could understand. "I understand self-defense, but I don't understand the need to kill your opponent."

"How did you survive your training?" Hiei asked.

"They didn't give me a choice," Sayomi defended. "That's why I understand self-defense, but the monks in Tourin didn't kill each other. They trained for the sake of improving. I don't see the point of training if you could die."

"If you don't win, then you'll die. It's the quickest way to learn." Hiei shrugged. "Not everyone grew up in a safe environment."

Sayomi bit her lip as his words struck a chord. _He's right. It wasn't the best place, but it_ was _pretty safe compared to the rest of the Demon Plane._ She looked up and stared at his back. _Being discarded the day he was born... I suppose he would know better than me in that regard._

"There's nothing wrong with being safe. It means you were cared for. You just need to understand not everyone is so fortunate. If you want to fight, then you'll need to realize the importance of survival. It's not all fun and games."

"So if you had to fight Yusuke or Kurama to the death, would you do it?"

"No," Hiei answered automatically. "It would be foolish to oppose either of them in a fight to the death. I can't say the same for many others."

"And if _we_ had to fight to the death?" Sayomi asked, raising her brow curiously.

"That wouldn't be an option," Hiei said with certainty. "You can't kill me and I won't kill you. It's that simple."

"Yeah, but –"

Hiei stopped and turned to face her. He held her chin and kept her eyes on him as he said, "We are _not_ in the Human World anymore. This _isn't_ Tourin. The law of the Demon Plane is a matter of _survival_. I can't always be there to protect you, so you need to be able to fend for yourself, even if it means killing your opponent."

Sayomi stared at Hiei and said, "I get that, but why does it have to be that way?"

Hiei glared at her, but she glared back. Seeing that she wasn't going to change her mind on the issue, he let her go and continued down the hall. "You're a fool."

Sayomi frowned and followed after him. _If the humans can coexist with each other, at least for the most part, then why can't demons? Are we really that different? The old man doesn't seem to think so._

The rest of the walk was quiet until they reached the mess hall. She could smell the food immediately after stepping through the threshold and it made her stomach growl. There weren't a lot of demons seated at the scattered tables. The few that were there kept to themselves and focused on their meals.

Sayomi followed Hiei to the short line to get their share. _Soup again... Though I shouldn't complain. It's better than what the monks gave me._

Hiei led Sayomi to one of the small tables against the wall. It had become their spot over the past couple days and Sayomi didn't mind the privacy. They didn't waste time talking through their meal. They silently agreed it was better to save any conversation for when they were sure no one else was listening.

After they finished, they left their bowls and started walking back to the room. Sayomi glared down at the floor with her hands stuffed into her pockets. _This is so_ boring _. I'm tired of this place already._

 _You won't be saying that during training tomorrow._ Hiei kept his eyes forward and his stride calm. _It's our last day so you might as well enjoy it while it lasts._

Sayomi did her best to keep her expression neutral as they passed a couple demons in the hall. _I want to enjoy it, but I'm not allowed to leave._

 _And what would you do if you were able to leave?_

Sayomi almost shrugged. _Maybe run or just enjoy being outside? I don't know how this place isn't driving you crazy._

Hiei smirked. _If you want to go outside, then just sneak out._

 _Isn't Mukuro watching for that, though?_ She stared at an eyeball on the floor as she hopped over it.

 _If Mukuro's men are supposed to be the strongest in the area, then the demons outside should be no problem._

Sayomi scowled. _No problem for_ you, _maybe..._

 _Which is why I'm going. We'll see how you do once we start training. Then we'll decide if you're ready to be out on your own._

 _Why am I being treated like a child who needs a babysitter?_

 _Because you have childish ideals._ Hiei glanced around to make sure there were no witnesses. _Now are you coming or not?_

Sayomi wasted no time merging with his shadow. _Ready when you are._

Hiei used his Evil Eye and his speed to find his way out of the fortress. Once outside, Sayomi solidified from his shadow and took in a deep breath. She let out a big sigh of relief and smiled. Then she noticed the ground was rumbling beneath her feet. When she looked up, she noticed a giant bug-like creature moving through the trees.

"That is Mukuro's mobile fortress 'centipede,'" Hiei explained.

Sayomi stared after the giant bug in awe. "So we've been inside a living demon?"

"It's mobile, but it's not alive," Hiei answered. "It could've been alive once, but not since Mukuro claimed it as his base of operations."

"How do you know about this?" Sayomi asked.

"Its insides have been cleaned out almost completely. There are no organs to keep it alive, so we can assume it's just an empty shell. Mukuro probably found a way to keep it animated after death." Hiei turned to Sayomi. "We'll be fine as long as we can keep it in sight and make it back inside."

"That shouldn't be too hard, right?" Sayomi watched the fortress through the large dust cloud it raised behind it. _No wonder I was going crazy in there..._

"You're outside. Now what?"

"Huh?" Sayomi blinked and looked at Hiei. "Oh... I just needed a break from the creepy atmosphere. It feels like I'm constantly being watched in there. This feels better already." She started to stretch and jog in place to get her blood flowing.

"Hn." Hiei smirked. "Not even five minutes outside and you already let your guard down."

"Only because I have my babysitter to watch out for me," Sayomi teased. Then she covered herself with her aura and took off through the forest.

Hiei quickly chased after her. She stayed just within reach, then changed direction at the last second. He was quick to follow her dodges and he managed to keep her in sight. There were a few times he almost caught her, but his fingers only brushed through shadow.

As the game dragged on, Hiei got tired of playing. He picked up his speed and covered his hand in flames. As he closed in on her, the fire dissipated her aura and he managed to grab onto her arm and pin her to a tree.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Sayomi laughed as she tried to catch her breath. "Okay, you got me."

Hiei stared down at her. "You're giving up already?"

"Well, I suppose I _could_ still slip free." She smirked as she started to meld in with the tree.

Hiei growled and ignited his hands just briefly enough to banish the shadows. "It won't be that easy."

Sayomi grinned and was about to try another escape tactic until a voice interrupted them.

"Release my sister, thief. She obviously doesn't want you touching her."

Hiei turned to glare over his shoulder. Sayomi peeked around the swordsman to see her brother glaring at them.

"Yasuhiro? Why are you out here?" Sayomi tried to step around Hiei, but he kept her out of her brother's view.

"Lord Mukuro ordered me to guard the fortress from assault." Yasuhiro kept his glare on Hiei as he crossed his arms. "Is there a reason the _two of you_ are out here?"

"We have no obligation to tell you," Hiei said coldly.

Yasuhiro arched his brow, doubting the thief. "Is that so? I believe a brother has the right to know what his sister is up to."

"Guys!" Sayomi maneuvered her way around Hiei and jerked her thumb at herself. "I'm right _here._ You don't have to talk _for_ me."

Hiei narrowed his eyes but kept his mouth shut. Yasuhiro kept his glare on Hiei, but spoke to Sayomi. "So, what are you doing out here, sis?"

"Just taking a breath of fresh air. We've been inside too long and needed a break." She crossed her arms and shrugged. "Besides, it's our last day off before we get back to training."

Yasuhiro shifted his glare towards Sayomi. "About your training..."

Sayomi felt her shadow twitch. She knew what he was going to say.

"She's training with me, per Mukuro's orders," Hiei said.

Yasuhiro glared back at Hiei. Meanwhile, Sayomi stared at the fire demon in shock. _What happened to it not being his business?_

Whether Hiei heard her or not, she couldn't tell. He only glared at Yasuhiro. When Sayomi looked back at her brother, she nearly flinched. His hands were balled into tight fists and his eyes were slowly getting darker.

"Then I will need to have a word with Lord Mukuro." Yasuhiro reached out to his sister. "Sayomi, come here."

Sayomi felt frozen. She couldn't turn away from Yasuhiro and she started to feel a heavy presence creep into her mind. She came back to her senses when Hiei grabbed hold of her wrist.

"I don't think so." Hiei stepped forward, glaring at Yasuhiro with his Evil Eye exposed and open. "I'm the one who told Mukuro to keep you away from her. I don't need a demon who lacks self-control to be anywhere near my mate."

"Hiei!" Sayomi looked back and forth between Hiei and Yasuhiro.

"Is that true?" Yasuhiro's bangs hung over his eyes, hiding them from view. His fists didn't relax, but they couldn't strain any tighter. "Sayomi... He's lying, right?"

Sayomi bit her lip and averted her eyes. _Dammit, Hiei! Why did you have to tell him that?! Now he's_ really _gonna get mad!_

"Sayomi..."

Sayomi flinched when Yasuhiro called her.

"Tell me he's lying." Yasuhiro's shadow started to rise like smoke around his body. When he raised his gaze, his eyes were as dark as storm clouds. "You're not mates. Not _my_ sister. Not with a _traitor_ like you."

Hiei stood his ground between the siblings. His Evil Eye glowed as he prepared to counter whatever the shadow demon tried to do. His right hand twitched.

"Hiei?" Sayomi whispered quietly behind his back. "Let's just go back to the fortress." When Hiei didn't react to her suggestion, she silently melded with his shadow. _Please, Hiei. This was a stupid idea. I know that now. Let's just go. Please..._

Hiei shifted his footing, but Yasuhiro didn't hesitate. As soon as the shadow demon dashed forward, Hiei sprinted past him towards the giant centipede that was getting farther away. He kept running until they were back in their room.

Once they were safe, Sayomi manifested from Hiei's shadow and sank to the floor against the bed. She wrapped her cloak around her body and hugged her knees to her chest. She bowed her head against her knees and started taking deep breaths. After a few minutes she looked up at Hiei with wide eyes. "Why did you do that?"

"He was going to find out sooner or later." Hiei shrugged out of his cloak and tossed it on the bed. He kneeled down in front of her and looked at her directly. "If we keep it a secret, it would only make things worse. We're going back to training tomorrow and there's nothing he can do about it. If he can't learn to accept it with time, then there's no help for him."

"But... What if he loses control again?" Sayomi remembered the night she ran away. She shut her eyes and shook her head. "I don't know if I could..."

Hiei lifted her chin to look at him. "Then get stronger. Get strong enough to show him that you don't need him. If that still doesn't convince him to leave you alone, then I'll finish it for good."

"Would you really need to kill him?" Sayomi asked. Tears started building in her eyes, but she blinked them back.

"I can either kill him or let him fade on his own. Either way, I'm not letting him take you from me." Hiei leaned in and kissed her lips, pressing her back against the side of the bed.

Sayomi blushed and returned his kiss as a few of her tears slipped free. A brief memory of her smiling brother flashed in her mind. _I just hope it won't have to come to either of those options..._


End file.
